The inspiration for this book comes from the words of Adam Smith: `Consumption is the sole end of and purpose of all production....' This book concentrates, in that spirit, on people rather on things; it describes the overall income and wealth of Britain, its growth, and how that income and wealth was produced by and distributed between different people in the population. Population growth has a central place, as do the changes in home and workplace, in the transformation of the lives of successive generations in Victorian and Edwardian Britain. Between 1830 and 1914 Britain became the world's major trading nation, carrier of the majority of the world's goods, by far the largest investor overseas, and the centre of the world's financial system. It was an exceptional time in the history of the country and one to which many look back, even a hundred years later, with nostalgia. This book seeks to describe and assess what was achieved in those eighty-five years.


This brief presents a logic synthesis flow that depends on the popular Synopsys Design Compiler to perform logic translation and minimization based on the standard cell library with both pass transistor logic (PTL) and CMOS logic cells. The hybrid PTL/CMOS logic synthesis can generate appropriate circuits considering various design constraints. The proposed multilevel PTL logic cells are automatically constructed from only a few basic cells. Postlayout simulations with UMC 90-nm technology are presented based on the standard cell library with pure PTL, pure CMOS, or hybrid PTL/CMOS cells. Experimental results show that, in most cases, pure PTL circuits have smaller area and power, whereas CMOS circuits, in general, have smaller delay.


Monooxo Mo(V) complexes of a N2O heteroscorpionate ligand designated (L10O) are found to exist as isolable cis and trans isomers. We have been able to trap the kinetically labile cis isomer and follow its isomerization to the thermodynamically more stable trans form. We have also followed the kinetics of isomerization between the cis and trans isomers of the corresponding dioxo Mo(VI) and W(VI) species. Here the trans is the labile isomer that spontaneously converts to the thermodynamically more stable cis. It is observed that at 60 degrees C in DMSO the Mo(VI) complex isomerizes approximately 6.5 times faster than the Mo(V) and nearly 5 times faster than the corresponding W(VI) analogs. The temperature dependence to the kinetics of the Mo(V) and Mo(VI) isomerizations give activation parameters that are similar for both oxidation states and consistent with those previously observed in [(L1O)MoOCl2] suggesting a similar twist mechanism is operating in all cases. Thus there are oxidation state, metal ion and donor atom dependent differences in isomeric stability that could have significant implications for understanding the mechanisms of both enzymatic and nonenzymatic oxo atom transfer reactions catalyzed by complexes of Mo, W and Re.


Laboratory is a key element of engineering and applied sciences educational systems. With the development of Internet and connecting IT technologies, the appearance of remote laboratories was inevitable. Virtual laboratories are also available; they place the experiment in a simulated environment. However, this writing focuses on remote experiments not virtual ones. From the students' point of view, it is a great help not only for those enrolling in distant or online courses but also for those studying in a more traditional way. With the spread of smart, portable devices capable of connection to the internet, students can expand or restructure time spent on studying. This is a huge help to them and also allows them to individually divide their time up, to learn how to self-study. This independent approach can prepare them for working environments. It offers flexibility and convenience to the students. From the universities' point of view, it helps reduce maintenance costs and universities can share experiments which also helps the not so well-resourced educational facilities. Keywords—e-learning, remote laboratories, distant learning


Background In the 1990s pneumonia hospitalisation rates in Western Australia (WA) were 13 times higher in Indigenous children than in non-Indigenous children. Rates of invasive pneumococcal disease in Indigenous children declined following the introduction in 2001 of 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (7vPCV) in a 2–4–6 month schedule with an 18-month pneumococcal polysaccharide booster (PPV). We investigated population trends for pneumonia hospitalisations between 1996 and 2005. Methods Population-based retrospective data linkage cohort study of singleton live births from 1996–2005. Hospitalisations for acute lower respiratory infections in Indigenous and non-Indigenous children less than 5 years of age were extracted and trends in age-specific incidence rates were examined using log-linear modelling. Results From 245 249 births (7.1% Indigenous), there were 7727 pneumonia episodes. Between 1996 and 2000 and 2001 and 2005 all-cause pneumonia hospitalisations fell by 28–44% in Indigenous children aged 6–35 months with no equivalent decline in non-Indigenous children or for other acute lower respiratory infections. Incidence rate ratios for pneumonia comparing Indigenous with non-Indigenous children aged 6–11 months fell from 14.6 (95% CI 12.3 to 17.2) in 1996–2000 to 9.9 (8.4 to 11.6) in 2001–2005. Log-linear modelling showed a steady decline in Indigenous children of 9%/annum (5–12%) at age 12–23 months for all-cause pneumonia and 37%/annum (20–50%) at age 6–11 months for pneumococcal pneumonia from 1996 to 2005, including the years prior to introduction of pneumococcal vaccines. Conclusions Pneumonia hospitalisations and the disparity between Indigenous and non-Indigenous children has declined by a third. The unique Australian pneumococcal vaccine programme is likely to have had a significant effect but changes in socioeconomic factors have also contributed to the declines.


This research addressed the question of educators' beliefs about the rights of children with a disability to be included in regular schools. Principals and teachers from Education Support Centres (ESCs) and attached primary schools in Western Australia rated whether they considered children with either a physical or intellectual disability should be integrated full‐time or part‐time depending upon the degree of the disability (severe, moderate, mild). Acceptance of integration was lower for the child with an intellectual disability than for the child with a physical disability. Acceptance decreased as the degree of severity increased. Educators were more accepting of part‐time integration, but mostly only for the child with a mild or moderate disability. Educators from the ESCs were more accepting than were their regular school peers and as educators became more experienced they became less accepting of inclusion. Educators appeared to have strong beliefs regarding inclusive practices and these beliefs di...


An innovative and novel quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy (QEPAS) sensor for highly sensitive and selective breath gas analysis is introduced. The QEPAS sensor consists of two acoustically coupled micro- resonators (mR) with an off-axis 20 kHz quartz tuning fork (QTF). The complete acoustically coupled mR system is optimized based on finite element simulations and experimentally verified. Due to the very low fabrication costs the QEPAS sensor presents a clear breakthrough in the field of photoacoustic spectroscopy by introducing novel disposable gas chambers in order to avoid cleaning after each test. The QEPAS sensor is pumped resonantly by a nanosecond pulsed single-mode mid-infrared optical parametric oscillator (MIR OPO). Spectroscopic measurements of methane and methanol in the 3.1 μm to 3.7 μm wavelength region is conducted. Demonstrating a resolution bandwidth of 1 cm-1. An Allan deviation analysis shows that the detection limit at optimum integration time for the QEPAS sensor is 32 ppbv@190s for methane and that the background noise is solely due to the thermal noise of the QTF. Spectra of both individual molecules as well as mixtures of molecules were measured and analyzed. The molecules are representative of exhaled breath gasses that are bio-markers for medical diagnostics.


Background: Latent third molar extraction is the most common surgery in dentistry. Common complications of this surgery include pain, swelling, and trismus. To control these side effects, several drugs have been developed and evaluated in various studies. However, the present study is the first one to compare the effects of ibuprofen and ketorolac on pain, swelling, and trismus after molar surgery. Methods: This study was a split-mouth clinical trial. To conduct the trial, 20 candidates were selected from among patients referring to Surgery Department of the Dentistry School at Yazd Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences for mandibular third molar removal surgery. The patients were divided into two groups after the surgery: one group received ibuprofen, and the other one received ketorolac. Pain, swelling, and trismus were evaluated prior to the surgical procedure, 24 hours later, and one week after the surgery. Data were analyzed by SPSS software version 22 by using Wilcoxon statistical tests and paired t test. Results: Ibuprofen and ketorolac had similar effects on pain relief (P value>0.05). Studying the two groups produced similar results regarding improvement in mouth opening (P value>0.05). Improvement pace of the postoperative swelling was significantly faster in the group receiving ketorolac compared to the one receiving ibuprofen (P value <0.05). Conclusions: It was concluded that ibuprofen and ketorolac had positive and almost similar effects on pain control, edema, and trismus after molar surgery. However, ketorolac was more effective in controlling edema after surgery.


Background The frequency of targetable somatic genomic alterations is known to differ based on a patient9s ancestry; for example, in lung adenocarcinoma EGFR mutations are more common in East Asians than Europeans. Accurately characterizing these differences will help to illuminate differences in the genetic etiology of cancer between populations. Methods We inferred estimated population ancestry for more than 100,000 de-identified patients from comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) of tumor specimens assessed in the course of routine clinical care. More than 40,000 germline single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are sequenced as part of our CGP assay which were also characterized in the publicly available 1000 Genomes data. We used the 1000 Genomes data to train and validate a classifier using these overlapping SNPs to classify individuals into one of five inferred population groups, estimated to be of predominantly African, European, Central and South American, South Asian, or East Asian ethnic origin. We then performed statistical testing to identify differences in tumor somatic genomic properties between the five inferred ancestry groups for each cancer type. Results We found that the inference of population ancestry from tumor sequence data and its comparison to somatic mutations recapitulated known differences between populations. Specifically, in lung adenocarcinoma, EGFR mutations were significantly more common in tumor specimens from individuals with inferred East Asian SNP-inferred ancestry (rate=0.52) compared to individuals with inferred European ancestry (rate=0.17, p 20), then from patients with inferred European ancestry (6.3 median, 12.8% >= 20), and inferred African ancestry the highest (9.0 median, 21.2% >=20). Finally, we found that in glioblastoma, TERT promoter mutations were more common in specimens from individuals with inferred European ancestry (rate=0.69) compared to specimens from individuals with inferred East Asian ancestry (rate=0.44). Based on the statistical power provided by this large cohort, novel ancestry based differences in gene alteration rates will be presented across multiple cancer types. Conclusions Clear differences in genomics based on SNP-inferred ancestry were observed. In particular, we found that TMB differs significantly between populations in lung adenocarcinoma, suggesting that the likelihood of individuals benefiting from immunotherapy may differ between populations. Citation Format: Caitlin F. Connelly, Jian Carrot-Zhang, Philip J. Stephens, Garrett M. Frampton. Somatic genome alterations in cancer as compared to inferred patient ancestry [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1227.


Objective: The objective of this study was to observe the accuracy and security of the craniomaxillofacial plastic surgery robot in congenital craniosynostosis surgery and to enhance and improve its performance. Materials and Methods: We performed model surgical experiments on computed tomography data of 5 children with congenital craniosynostosis who were diagnosed and treated in our hospital, and model surgical experiments and animal experiments on the skulls of 3 Bama minipigs. Results: There was no statistically significant difference shown either in model experiments or animal experiments in comparing the actual operation with the surgical simulation and inside the groups (P>0.05). Conclusions: The craniomaxillofacial plastic surgery robot has achieved good security and accuracy in model surgery and animal experiments. Further studies are needed to be conducted to confirm its security and accuracy and to continuously improve and refine the robot's performance.


Enantioseparation of the antidiarrheal drug, racecadotril, was investigated by liquid chromatography using polysaccharide-type chiral stationary phases in polar organic mode. The enantiodiscrimininating properties of 4 different chiral columns (Chiralpak AD, Chiralcel OD, Chiralpak AS, Chiralcel OJ) with 5 different solvents (methanol, ethanol, 1-propanol, 2-propanol, and acetonitrile) at 5 different temperatures (5-40 °C) were investigated. Apart from Chiralpak AS column the other 3 columns showed significant enantioseparation capabilities. Among the tested mobile phases, alcohol type solvents were superior over acetonitrile, and significant differences in enantioselective performance of the selector were observed depending on the type of alcohol employed. Van't Hoff analysis was used for calculation of thermodynamic parameters which revealed that enantioseparation is mainly enthalpy controlled; however, enthropic control was also observed. Enantiopure standard was used to determine the enantiomer elution order, revealing chiral selector-and mobile-phase dependent reversal of enantiomer elution order. Using the optimized method (Chiralcel OJ stationary phase, thermostated at 10 °C, 100% methanol, flow rate: 0.6 mL/min) baseline separation of racecadotril enantiomers (resolution = 3.00 ± 0.02) was achieved, with the R-enantiomer eluting first. The method was validated according to the ICH guidelines, and its application was tested on capsule and granules containing the racemic mixture of the drug.


The Reeb graph has been utilized in various applications including the analysis of scalar fields. Recently, research has been focused on using topological signatures such as the Reeb graph to compare multiple scalar fields by defining distance metrics on the topological signatures themselves. Here we survey five existing metrics that have been defined on Reeb graphs: the bottleneck distance, the interleaving distance, functional distortion distance, the Reeb graph edit distance, and the universal edit distance. Our goal is to (1) provide definitions and concrete examples of these distances in order to develop the intuition of the reader, (2) visit previously proven results of stability, universality, and discriminativity, (3) identify and complete any remaining properties which have only been proven (or disproven) for a subset of these metrics, (4) expand the taxonomy of the bottleneck distance to better distinguish between variations which have been commonly miscited, and (5) reconcile the various definitions and requirements on the underlying spaces for these metrics to be defined and properties to be proven.


In this thesis we use Conditional Random Fields (CRFs) as a sequential classifier to predict the location of transmembrane helical regions in membrane proteins. CRFs allow for a seamless and principled integration of biological domain knowledge into the model and are known to have several advantages over other approaches. We have used this flexibility in order to incorporate several biologically inspired features into the model. We compared our approach with twenty eight other methods and received the highest score in the percentage of residues predicted correctly. We have also carried out experiments comparing CRFs against Maximum Entropy Models (MEMMs). Our results confirm that CRFs overcome the label bias problem, which are known to afflict MEMMs. Furthermore, we have used CRFs to analyze the architecture of the protein complex, Cytochrome c oxidase, and have recreated the results obtained from physical experiments.


Abstract Vocational guidance (VG) involves several variables that can help the individual to make a professional choice and build his or her career. The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between self-efficacy for professional choice and career adaptability in high school students, as well as to verify possible differences regarding the intention or not to participate in a VG process. 272 students participated in this study, from a public school, aged between 14 and 19 years, 51.5% female. A Sociodemographic Questionnaire, the Self-efficacy Scale for Professional Choice (EAE-EP) and the Career Adapt-Abilities Scale (CAAS-Brazil) were applied. From the Pearson correlation analysis, ANOVA and Cohen's d, the results indicated positive correlations between the constructs, in addition, it was observed the difference between the students who would like or not to undergo a VG process. Implications for the practice are discussed.


Augmented reality technology based on image registration is becoming increasingly popular for the convenience of pre-surgery preparation and medical education. This paper focuses on the registration of forearm images and digital anatomical models. Due to the difference in texture features of forearm multi-modal images, this paper proposes a forearm feature representation curve (FFRC) based on structure compliant multi-modal image registration framework (FAM) for the forearm.


Abstract. Process interactions and chain reactions, the present shift of cryospheric hazard zones due to atmospheric warming, and the potential far reach of glacier disasters make it necessary to apply modern remote sensing techniques for the assessment of glacier and permafrost hazards in high-mountains. Typically, related hazard source areas are situated in remote regions, often difficult to access for physical and/or political reasons. In this contribution we provide an overview of air- and spaceborne remote sensing methods suitable for glacier and permafrost hazard assessment and disaster management. A number of image classification and change detection techniques support high-mountain hazard studies. Digital terrain models (DTMs), derived from optical stereo data, synthetic aperture radar or laserscanning, represent one of the most important data sets for investigating high-mountain processes. Fusion of satellite stereo-derived DTMs with the DTM from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) is a promising way to combine the advantages of both technologies. Large changes in terrain volume such as from avalanche deposits can indeed be measured even by repeat satellite DTMs. Multitemporal data can be used to derive surface displacements on glaciers, permafrost and landslides. Combining DTMs, results from spectral image classification, and multitemporal data from change detection and displacement measurements significantly improves the detection of hazard potentials. Modelling of hazardous processes based on geographic information systems (GIS) complements the remote sensing analyses towards an integrated assessment of glacier and permafrost hazards in mountains. Major present limitations in the application of remote sensing to glacier and permafrost hazards in mountains are, on the one hand, of technical nature (e.g. combination and fusion of different methods and data; improved understanding of microwave backscatter). On the other hand, better dissemination of remote sensing expertise towards institutions involved in high-mountain hazard assessment and management is needed in order to exploit the large potential of remote sensing in this field.


This study investigates the impact of penalties, including sanctions, corrections, and fine payments, on firm value within the context of the banking industry on the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TWSE) from 2017 to 2021. Utilizing data from the Financial Supervisory Commission, we employ rigorous statistical methods, such as multiple regression and Petersen regression models, to discern whether these punitive measures affect firm performance. Intriguingly, our findings indicate that firms subject to financial sanctions and penalties in Taiwan experience an improvement in their firm value, challenging the conventional belief that such penalties erode value. We propose that this unexpected outcome may be attributed to the potential gains derived from expanding business activities, even in violation of banking regulations, outweighing the associated regulatory costs. By shedding light on this under-researched aspect of the literature, our study contributes to a broader understanding of how regulatory penalties impact firm value in the banking industry, thereby providing regulatory authorities with practical insights.


Hydraulic fracturing requires a large volume of fresh water, which is difficult and expensive to obtain in the desert area such as Tarim Basin. Currently, flowback fluid is typically transported to the sewage treatment plant and then discharged after reaching environmental requirements; however, this is not only costly, but also a waste of water resource. Therefore, it is imperative to understand the potential interactions between fracturing fluid and reservoir rock, and then find solutions to reuse the flowback water for subsequent fracturing. In this study, once flowback fluid was directly collected from the field, its chemical compositions were analyzed; then, filtering, decoloring, and chelating methods were chosen to effectively remove or shield the unfavorable reintroduced components. Moreover, pH value was further tuned during different stages of the recycling process to ensure good gelation and cross-linking properties of guar. Cross-linked guar synthesized with the flowback fluid was evaluated in the lab through shear resistance tests and coreflood tests under the reservoir conditions; results indicated the recycled gel behaved similarly as the original gel, or even better. From this work, a cheap and effective treatment process was proposed to reuse the flowback fluid in the desert area.


The large-scale deployment of electric vehicles (EVs) will provide massive energy load demand on the electric smart grid especially during peak-hours. To this end, smart grid will need to balance the charging and the discharging power among public supply stations aiming to minimize the plug-in waiting time and maintain the grid stability. To achieve these goals, we propose a charging-discharging model at public supply stations (EVPSS) based on cloud computing framework, where EVs users communicate with cloud providers to upload charging and discharging calendars. To handle EVs requests, we develop a mathematical formalism based on queuing theory considering two priority queues with two EV classes, high and low. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first paper that proposes a model that tries to solve all the aforementioned issues. Through simulation results, we demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach when considering real EVs charging-discharging loads at peak-hours periods.


The clinical effects of oral oxazepam and placebo as premedicants were tested in a double-blind study in 40 gynaecological patients. The gas chromatographically measured concentrations of the active, unconjugated forms of oxazepam in the plasma were correlated with the clinical effects of oxazepam, assessed both subjectively and objectively. The insertion of an intravenous cannula was significantly more difficult (p less than 0.001) in the placebo premedicated group. However, there was no significant difference between the two groups in the cutaneous temperature of the left forefinger. Of the eleven parameters tested there was a significant difference between the oxazepam and placebo group in the quality of sleep on the night before operation (p less than 0.05) and in the degree of preoperative sedation (p less than 0.01). The combined results of the eleven parameters of the oxazepam group also differed positively significantly from the placebo group (p less than 0.01). There was no obvious relationship between the plasma concentration and clinical effect of oxazepam.


The study focused on examining influence of team management strategy on the performance of commercial banks in Kenya. The financial sector is undergoing transformations in order to serve the needs of its clients owing to the existing global environmental dynamism in which the industry is operating in. The sector has been dogged with serious challenges in attempt to manage change in relation to its performance. Team management strategy is intended to help government's planners and banks deal with and adapt to their changing internal and external circumstances. The study population comprised of the 43 commercial banks in Kenya which were in operation during the six-year period of the study that is from 2011 to 2016 chosen using census method. The target population was 436 Bank employees from the commercial banks with a sample population of 272 bank employees of various cadres being selected using the method of stratified random sampling. A descriptive research design was adopted and a positivist paradigm guided the study. Primary data was collected with use of structured questionnaires from employees of commercial banks. Both qualitative and Quantitative data was collected. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics of mode, median, mean, standard deviation. The study findings revealed that team management strategy had a significant and positive influence on performance of commercial banks in Kenya. These findings put forward that there is need for researchers to adopt and implement appropriate team management strategy in order to improve performance of commercial banks. The study recommends further research on other factors that may have an influence on the performance of commercial banks.


The stability analysis of an adaptive control scheme for robotic manipulators, originally introduced by Horowitz and Tomizuka (1980), is presented in this paper. In the previous stability proof it was assumed that the manipulator parameter variation is negligible compared with the speed of adaptation. It is shown that this key assumption can be removed by introducing two modifications in the adaptive control scheme: 1. Reparametrizing the nonlinear terms in dynamic equations as linear functions of unknown but constant terms. 2. Defining the Coriolis compensation term in the control law as a bilinear function of the manipulator and model reference joint velocities, instead of a quadratic function of the manipulator joint velocities. The modified adaptive control scheme is shown to be globally asymptotically stable.


&NA; We investigated the effects of the androgenic growth promoter 17&bgr;‐trenbolone (17&bgr;TB) on adult Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) exposed across three generations. The F0 generation was exposed after sexual maturity to 0, 1, 5, 10, 20, and 40 ppm through feed. The F1 generation was exposed in ovo by maternal transfer and through feed at the same doses as their parents. The F2 generation was exposed in ovo only. Levels of plasma sex steroids, gonadal Cytochrome P450 aromatase (CYP19A1) mRNA and select brain neuroendocrine peptide mRNAs were measured. In males, testosterone levels did not differ in any generation from those in controls. Estradiol was significantly elevated in 17&bgr;TB treated F0 and F1 males. In F0 and F1 females, testosterone was suppressed by 17&bgr;TB, whereas estradiol was significantly higher at 40 ppm in F0 and at 10 ppm in F1 females. CYP19A1 expression in F1 males and females increased suggesting a compensatory response to the androgenic effects of 17&bgr;TB. Few significant effects were observed in the F2 birds indicating that in ovo exposure had limited effects on the monitored endpoints. Overall, our results confirmed endocrine disrupting effects of dietary 17&bgr;TB in Japanese quail but the response was dependent on sex, developmental stage at initiation of exposure, and dose.


BACKGROUND
The main reason for dose reduction of afatinib is gastrointestinal toxicity (GT). In a phase II study, we analyzed anthropometrical, nutritional, and biochemical factors associated with GT induced by afatinib.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Patients diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer who progressed to prior chemotherapy received 40 mg of afatinib. Malnutrition was determined by Subjective Global Assessment, and lean body mass (LBM) was determined by computed tomography scan analysis using a pre-established Hounsfield unit threshold. Toxicity was obtained during four cycles by Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events.

RESULTS
Eighty-four patients were enrolled. Afatinib was administered as the second, third, and fourth line of treatment in 54.8%, 38.1%, and 7.12% of patients, respectively. Severe diarrhea, mucositis, and overall severe GT were present in 38.9%, 28.8%, and 57.5%, respectively. Of the patients, 50% developed dose-limiting toxicity (DLT). Patients with malnutrition have higher risk for severe GT. Patients with lower LBM and body mass index developed more DLT (71.4% vs. 18.8%).

CONCLUSION
Malnutrition is associated with a higher risk of severe GT induced by afatinib. Determination of nutritional status and body composition are helpful in identifying patients at higher risk of severe GT and could allow initiating treatment with lower doses according to tolerance.


Objectives: Studies of coping and quality of life (QOL) mostly consist of one assessment of patients in different phases. The goal was to assess the level and effects of specific copings on specific QOL domains in cancer patients in the month around diagnosis and 10-12 months later. Methods: The participants were 52 cancer patients with different diagnoses. They were administered the Multidimensional Inventory of Coping and the QOL Questionnaire two weeks after diagnosis and two weeks after treatment termination. Findings: Coping strategies and quality of life levels differed in the two phases of the study: Denial and fighting spirit in coping and work, negative emotions, and physical needs in QOL were higher in the first phase; and in the second phase stoic acceptance and changing life style in coping and social functioning and meaningfulnesss inQOL. The coping strategy with the strongest impact on QOL in the first phase was positive emotions and in the second phase focusing on oneself. Conclusions: Coping strategies and affected domains of QOL change in the course of the illness and the treatments as well as their interactions.


LDP3 (VHZ) is the smallest classical protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP) known to date and was originally misclassified as an atypical dual-specificity phosphatase. Kinetic isotope effects with steady-state and pre-steady-state kinetics of VHZ and mutants with p-nitrophenol phosphate have revealed several unusual properties. VHZ is significantly more active than previously reported but remains one of the least active PTPs. Highly unusual for a PTP, VHZ possesses two acidic residues (E134 and D65) in the active site. D65 occupies the position corresponding to the typical general acid in the PTP family. However, VHZ primarily utilizes E134 as the general acid, with D65 taking over this role when E134 is mutated. This unusual behavior is facilitated by two coexisting, but unequally populated, substrate binding modes. Unlike most classical PTPs, VHZ exhibits phosphotransferase activity. Despite the presence of the Q-loop that normally prevents alcoholysis of the phosphoenzyme intermediate in other classical PTPs, VHZ readily phosphorylates ethylene glycol. Although mutations of Q-loop residues affect this phosphotransferase activity, mutations on the IPD loop that contains the general acid exert more control over this process. A single P68V substitution on this loop completely abolishes phosphotransferase activity. The ability of native VHZ to catalyze transphosphorylation may lead to an imbalance of intracellular phosphorylation, which could explain the correlation of its overexpression with several types of cancer.


Background: DNA damage response plays critical roles in tumor pathogenesis and radiotherapy resistance. Various cellular activities including the initiation and major steps DNA damage response are regulated by protein phosphorylation, whereas the molecular mechanism remains largely unknown. Methods: A quick label-free phosphoproteomics using high-resolution mass spectrometry and an open search approach was applied to paired tumor and adjacent tissues from five patients with gastric cancer. The dysregulated phosphoproteins were identified and their associated-pathways analyzed using Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA). The mostly regulated phosphoproteins and their potential functions were validated by the specific antibodies against the phosphorylation sites. Specific protein phosphorylation was further analyzed by functional and clinical approaches. Results: 832 gastric cancer-associated unique phosphorylated sites were identified, among which 25 were up- and 52 down-regulated. Markedly, the dysregulated phosphoproteins were primarily enriched in DNA-damage-response-associated pathways. Particularly, the phosphorylation of Bcl-2-associated transcription factor 1 (BCLAF1) at Ser290 was significantly upregulated in tumor. The upregulation of BCLAF1 Ser290 phosphorylation (pBCLAF1(Ser290)) in tumor was confirmed by tissue microarray studies and further indicated in association with poor prognosis of gastric cancer patients. Eliminating the phosphorylation of BCLAF1 at Ser290 suppressed gastric cancer (GC) cell proliferation. Upregulation of pBCLAF1(Ser290) was found in association with irradiation-induced γ-H2AX expression in the nucleus, leading to an increased DNA damage repair response, and a marked inhibition of irradiation-induced cancer cell apoptosis. Conclusions: The phosphorylation of BCLAF1 at Ser290 is involved in the regulation of DNA damage response, indicating an important target for the resistance of radiotherapy.


Precise synthesis of nanobuilding blocks with accurately positioned functional groups presents a daunting challenge. Herein, a practical synthesis and thorough characterization of a series of T8 -polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) di- and triadducts is reported. Upon addition of triflic acid across the double bonds in octavinylPOSS (V8 T8 ) followed by hydrolysis, the cubic symmetry of the T8 -POSS cage (Oh ) is broken into C2v (ortho-), C2v (meta-), and D3d (para-) for diadducts and further to Cs (oom-), Cs (omp-), and C3v (mmm-) for triadducts in a stochastic fashion. Their structures and regioconfigurations have been unambiguously demonstrated by (1) H, (13) C, and (29) Si NMR spectroscopy, as well as MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. The assignment of the diadducts was further corroborated by converting each individual diadduct into triadduct(s), the structure of which is controlled by the symmetry of the precursor. Except for the C3v triadduct, they can all be prepared in synthetically useful quantities. The presence of two types of highly reactive and mutually orthogonal functional groups facilitates further modification into complex nanostructures and composite materials. These unique regioisomers provide a versatile platform for constructing giant molecules and Janus silsesquioxanes.


With the digital city proposed, 3D visualization of underground pipe network, as an important part of the integrated management system of urban GIS, has now become the focus of attention of many scholars. In order to resolve the problems on the current 3D modeling method of urban underground pipeline network, we present a novel algorithm based on a 3D component library in this paper. The algorithm, introduces the concept of 3D component library, makes the 3D models of standard pipe fittings as element components and splits the complex 3D model of the underground pipeline network into several element components. The element components are classified by type and stored in the 3D component library. When construct the underground pipe network 3D models, firstly, gets the element components by the type ID of 2D entities, then through the approach that the combination of different element components, we can obtain the accurate 3D models. Comparing with the traditional 3D modeling method of urban underground pipeline network, this new algorithm is more lifelike and accurate. The system based on the method can improve the efficiency of its development and the reusability of its resource. This new algorithm also provides a common solution for a complex 3D model, which can construct the 3D model of complex urban facilities, such as overpass.


We report on the observation of spatially asymmetric turbulent structures with a long radial correlation length in the core of high-collisionality H -mode plasmas on DIII-D tokamak. These turbulent structures develop from shorter wavelength turbulence and have a radially elongated structure. The envelope of turbulence spans a broad radial range in the mid-radius region, leading to streamer-like transport events. The underlying turbulence is featured by intermittency, long-term memory eect, and the characteristic spectrum of self-organized criticality. The amplitude and the radial scale increase substantially when the shearing rate of the mean ow is reduced below the turbulent scattering rate. The enhanced LRRC transport events are accompanied by apparent degradation of normalized energy connement time. These ndings constitute the rst experimental observation of long-radial-range turbulent transport events in high-collisionality H -mode plasmas, and demonstrate the role of mean shear ows in the formation and propagation of turbulence with long-radial-range correlation.


The paper aims to investigate the influencing factors for the choice of accounting specialization by students at ten public higher education institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). In addition to the above, the paper also explores the gender structure of the students, the type of secondary education, the time of making the decision to choose the field of accounting, and planned future training in accounting. The research sample consisted of 253 respondents, and data collection was performed by electronic survey through distance learning platforms. To identify the key factors in choosing to study accounting, we used the multivariate method of factor analysis of major components. The results of the research point to the existence of four key influencing factors in the selection of accounting specialization: achievement, job fulfillment, the influence of authorities in the field of science and profession, and the influence of parents and friends. Over 77 percent of the students are women, and the students have mostly completed general high schools (gymnasiums) or high schools of economics (92 percent). More than 98 percent of the students plan to continue their training in the field of accounting. The results of the research have practical use in terms of preparation and presentation of accounting policies at public higher education institutions in BiH, given that the reduced number of students has resulted in rival positions among different study areas. The results of the research can also be useful to professional groups in the field of accounting in terms of achieving their strategic goals.


A new wafer-level method has been developed for localized heating of the bond region between two wafers. Using this method, one of the two wafers to be bonded is heated from the backside, and the other is cooled from the backside, so that heat flows through the bond regions while the device regions stay relatively cool. In this work, integrated temperature sensors were used to measure the temperature at different distances from the bond region during Si to glass and Si to Si (with a -7 mum SiO2) bonds in order to verify the utility of this bonding technique. The temperature was measured to be only 25% and 37% of the bond ring temperature at 650 mum away from the bond ring for a Si to glass bond and 250 mum away from the bond ring for a Si to Si (with a ~7 mum oxide) bond respectively for bond ring temperatures up to 410degC and 200degC. Furthermore a successful Au-Si eutectic bond was demonstrated using this technique.


Background Human amniotic epithelial cells (hAECc) derived from placental tissue are widely available and possess immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory and regenerative properties. In this study we have generated islet heterospheroids composed of hAECs and dispersed islet cells (ICs) aiming to improve viability, engraftment and vascularization of the transplanted spheroids. Methods Functional Islet spheroids were generated on 3D agarose-patterned microwells. To form homospheroids dispersed rat islet cells (ICs) and hAECs (128,000 cells/mold and 500cell/spheroid) were seeded alone. Heterospheroids were formed by mixing ICs and hAECs at ratio of 1:1 (128,000 cells/mold and 500cell/spheroid). Marginal mass (150 IEQ) of islet heterospheroids (islet + AEC group), islet homospheroids (islet-only group) or hAEC spheroids (hAEC alone group) was transplanted under the kidney capsule of diabetic SCID mice. Blood glucose levels were monitored daily and IPGTTs were carried out. Grafts and serum were harvested at 1, 2, 6 and 12 weeks after transplantation to assess outcome. Results Mice transplanted with islet heterospheroids exhibited enhanced glycemic control as measured by glucose tolerance, serum insulin/c-peptide level and diabetes reversal rate, compared with mice in islet alone group. The cumulative percentage of animals reaching normoglycemia was 74% in the islet+hAEC group versus 26% in the islets-alone group. The median time to reverse hyperglycaemia for islet+hAEC grafts was 5 ± 0.9 days and 30 ± 7 days for islet-alone recipients (p < 0.0001, n = 26). Between groups, the morphology of islet grafts showed significant differences in size and composition of grafted endocrine tissues. A two-fold increase in graft revascularization was seen in islet + hAEC grafts, which was mainly attributed to stimulating vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) production. The rapid revascularization led to improved graft perfusion and recovery from hypoxia. Conclusion These data indicate that hAECs may have a significant potential to protect islet cells and may be employed to improve islet cell survival and function prior to transplantation. Hence, hAEC-enriched pseudoislets may represent a novel approach to increase the success rate of islet transplantation.


A fast algorithm for the large-scale joint inversion of gravity and magnetic data is developed. The algorithm uses a nonlinear Gramian constraint to impose correlation between the density and susceptibility of the reconstructed models. The global objective function is formulated in the space of the weighted parameters, but the Gramian constraint is implemented in the original space, and the nonlinear constraint is imposed using two separate Lagrange parameters, one for each model domain. It is significant that this combined approach, using the two spaces provides more similarity between the reconstructed models. Moreover, it is shown theoretically that the gradient for the use of the unweighted space is not a scalar multiple of that used for the weighted space, and hence cannot be accounted for by adjusting the Lagrange parameters. It is assumed that the measured data are obtained on a uniform grid and that a consistent regular discretization of the volume domain is imposed. Then, the sensitivity matrices exhibit a block Toeplitz Toeplitz block structure for each depth layer of the model domain, and both forward and transpose operations with the matrices can be implemented efficiently using two dimensional fast Fourier transforms. This makes it feasible to solve for large scale problems with respect to both computational costs and memory demands, and to to solve the nonlinear problem by applying iterative methods that rely only on matrix vector multiplications. As such, the use of the regularized reweighted conjugate gradient algorithm, in conjunction with the structure of the sensitivity matrices, leads to a fast methodology for large-scale joint inversion of geophysical data sets. Numerical simulations demonstrate that it is possible to apply a nonlinear joint inversion algorithm, with Lp-norm stabilisers, for the reconstruction of large model domains on a standard laptop computer. It is demonstrated, that while the p = 1 choice provides sparse reconstructed solutions with sharp boundaries, it is also possible to use p = 2 in order to provide smooth and blurred models. The methodology is used for inverting gravity and magnetic data obtained over an area in northwest of Mesoproterozoic St. Francois Terrane, southeast of Missouri, USA.


Heightened concerns about the treatment of individuals during interviews and interrogations have stimulated efforts to develop "non-intrusive" technologies for rapidly assessing the credibility of statements by individuals in a variety of sensitive environments. Methods or processes that have the potential to precisely focus investigative resources will advance operational excellence and improve investigative capabilities. Facial expressions have the ability to communicate emotion and regulate interpersonal behavior. Over the past 30 years, scientists have developed human-observer based methods that can be used to classify and correlate facial expressions with human emotion. However, these methods have proven to be labor intensive, qualitative, and difficult to standardize. The Facial Action Coding System (FACS) developed by Paul Ekman and Wallace V. Friesen is the most widely used and validated method for measuring and describing facial behaviors. The Automated Facial Expression Recognition System (AFERS) automates the manual practice of FACS, leveraging the research and technology behind the CMU/PITT Automated Facial Image Analysis System (AFA) system developed by Dr. Jeffery Cohn and his colleagues at the Robotics Institute of Carnegie Mellon University. This portable, near real-time system will detect the seven universal expressions of emotion providing investigators with indicators of the presence of deception during the interview process. In addition, the system will include features such as full video support, snapshot generation, and case management utilities, enabling users to re-evaluate interviews in detail at a later date.


Green Technology design approach is a new solution that must be applicable to preserve a nature and reduce the pollution. There are so much innovation could be used to in the development of the park to reduce the electricity use, eco-friendly and livable for the community. This paper aims to exemplify an effort by a group of students, through multi-professional inputs, in designing for a city facility that can add more towards a livable city. The results of the approach are multidisciplinary design that includes the idea from multi-professional in making a livable park for community surroundings Tasik Biru Kundang, Kuang, Selangor, Malaysia.
Keywords: Green technology; Livability; Multi professional; Design approach
eISSN 2514-751X © 2018. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open-access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia.


: In 83.7% of patients with nephrolithiasis the morpho-functional disorders of urinary ways were disclosed. The complex of pathogenetically substantiated treatment of such patients was proposed. Together with performing of sparing removing of calculi the operative correction of hemo- and urodynamics with disorders local homeostasis restoration is performed using application of specific inhibitors of urolithogenesis, basing on hyperbaric oxygenation.


Accurate phase connectivity information is essential for advanced monitoring and control applications in power distribution systems. The existing data-driven approaches for phase identification lack precise physical interpretation and theoretical performance guarantee. Their performance generally deteriorates as the complexity of the network, the number of phase connections, and the level of load balance increase. In this paper, by linearizing the three-phase power flow manifold, we develop a physical model, which links the phase connections to the smart meter measurements. The phase identification problem is first formulated as a maximum likelihood estimation problem and then reformulated as a maximum marginal likelihood estimation problem. We prove that the correct phase connection achieves the highest log likelihood values for both problems. An efficient solution method is proposed by decomposing the original problem into subproblems with a binary least-squares formulation. The numerical tests on a comprehensive set of distribution circuits show that our proposed method yields very high accuracy on both radial and meshed distribution circuits with a combination of single-phase, two-phase, and three-phase loads. The proposed algorithm is robust with respect to inaccurate feeder models, incomplete measurements, and bad measurements. It also outperforms the existing methods on complex circuits.


ABSTRACT Background The increased life expectancy of people with Down syndrome puts pressure on parents, who are usually the main caregivers but who find caring more difficult as they get older. The quality of the support provided by brothers and sisters depends on the intra-family relationships they build when growing up. Methods 121 adult siblings of people with Down syndrome completed a questionnaire on their perceptions of their childhood relationships. Results Brothers' and sisters' relationships with a sibling with Down syndrome were mostly (very) positive, but this was not always the case for their relationships with their parents and other siblings. Factors affecting these relationships include respondent's sex, number of siblings, and sibling position. Conclusions In addition to simple risk and protective factors, we identified parameters that should be taken into account when providing support to siblings and parents of people with Down syndrome.


A flexible Block Recursive Least Squares frequency domain (FBRLS) using the multidelay filter (MDF) is presented throughout this paper. The choice of implanting the FBRLS algorithm using MDF adaptive filter, allows one to choose the size of an FFT consecrated to use efficiently the hardware, rather than the requirement of a specific application. In term of performances, the MDF-FBRLS adaptive filter introduces smaller block delay and is usually faster, ideal for a time-varying system, such as modeling an acoustic path in a teleconference room. These good performances are achieved by using smaller block size, updating frequently the weight vectors. Those issues, will reduce the total execution time of the adaptive process. The comparison between MDF-FBRLS and FBRLS algorithms, proved the advantages of the first one, in term of the total execution time, and the efficiency of the computational complexity of the adaptive filter.


One of the characteristics of the 21st century is the reality of globalization. This is the shrinking of time and space with the consequent conversion of the world into a global village. This, however, has always come about especially by the agency of new information and communication technology that has succeeded in bringing events and realities hitherto distant to the doorsteps of the other. This paper tries to look at the implications and challenges that the new information and communication technology that made, as said above, the reality of globalization ever more possible, have for the doing of theology in Africa, today. By descriptive and analytic methodology, it is found out, among other things, that these Information and Communication technologies provide ample opportunities for theologians in Africa to hone their craft, become e-theologians, engage all the more in ecumenical and interreligious dialogue, make the output of their enterprise not only for local consumption but also for a more global consumption, be a boon to the church in Africa whose theologians they are, make them pay more attention to democratic values in Africa and then see to the development of an African theology of new information and communication technology. It is hoped that this study will help raise awareness on the interdisciplinary nexus between Information and Communication technology and religion, or, as in this case, between Information and communication technology and theology.


Proteins post-translational modification (PTMs) is necessary in the whole life process of organisms. Among them, lysine 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation (Khib) plays an important role in protein synthesis, transcriptional regulation, and cell metabolism. Khib is a newly identified PTM in several plant species. However, the function of Khib in maize was unclear. In this study, western blotting results showed that Khib modification level increased significantly after Fusarium graminearum infection, and 2,066 Khib modified sites on 728 proteins were identified in maize, among which 24 Khib sites occurred on core histones. Subcellular localization results showed that these Khib modified proteins were localized in cytoplasm, chloroplast, and nucleus. Then, comparative proteomic analysis of the defense response to F. graminearum infection showed that Khib modification participated in plant resistance to pathogen infection by regulating glycolysis, TCA cycle, protein synthesis, peroxisome, and secondary metabolic processes, such as benzoxazinoid biosynthesis, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, jasmonic acid synthesis, and tyrosine and tryptophan biosynthesis. In addition, we also demonstrated that lysine 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation sites on histones were involved in the gene expression of pathogenesis-related proteins. Our results provide a new perspective for the study of plant disease resistance, and had directive significance of maize disease resistance for molecular breeding.


We consider certain spaces of entire functions of exponential type in associated with a domain that are in fact Laplace transforms of distributions in . It is shown that any shift-invariant subspace of these functions admits spectral synthesis, that is, coincides with the closure of the linear span of the exponential polynomials contained in it. As an application of this result, we describe the solution space in of a system of homogeneous equations of infinite order for differential operators with characteristic functions infinitely differentiable in .


Electro-coagulation (EC) is well known as a technique for removing suspended solids as well as oils and greases from wastewater. The aims of this research are to study the performance of the EC technique to treat a high strength wastewater from slaughterhouse in batchwise mode. The effect of various process variables such as number and electrode material, initial pH, suspended solid (SS) content, and operating time was investigated The electrolytic cell (electro-coagulator) used was a 600 ml cylinder glass reactor with working volume 400 ml and equipped by magnetic stirrer without temperature control. Cast iron (Fe) and aluminum (Al) cylinder were used as anode/cathode pair. The number of electrode was varied 1 and 2 pairs. The effective area of the electrode pair was 6.28 cm 2 . The DC power supply was controlled by a voltmeter and be adjusted constant at 125 A/m 2 for each test runs. The initial SS concentration were varied from 1250, 2100, 3000, and 4000 mg/L by diluting wastewater. It is found that effluent temperature depends on SS and increases up to 98 °C when SS content was 4000 mg/L. One and two pairs of Fe-Al electrode will give SS removal efficiency are 97.2 and 99.6 %, respectively. However, the higher electrode number will need the shorter time to get certain removal efficiency of SS.  Number of electrodes didn't give the significant impact to the final pHs. With initial pH 7.05 both two pair of electrode will give the final pH relatively constant to 7.80. Further work will be conducted to optimize the CD and charge loading to avoid the excessive temperature increase


To ascertain the prognostic significance of cerebral MRI abnormalities at the presentation of a clinically isolated episode (optic neuritis, brainstem syndrome or an isolated spinal cord) we performed a follow-up study on 74 patients, after a mean of five years. There were 44 females, 30 males, aged 13-50 years (mean age 31 years) with optic neuritis (37), brainstem (13) or spinal cord syndromes (24). All MRI scans were performed on a Picker 0-5T (SE2,O. sequence, axial contiguous slices). At presentation, 50 patients (68%) had an abnormal MRI with one or more cerebral white matter lesions. At follow-up: (1) normal MRI at presentation: two of 24 (8%) developed multiple sclerosis on clinical grounds and seven developed MRI abnormalities. (2) Abnormal MRI at presentation: 38 of 50 (76%) developed multiple sclerosis on clinical grounds, 43 developed new MRI lesions. MRI findings at presentation are significantly predictive of the risk of subsequent progression to multiple sclerosis within five years. (Relative risk of abnormal MRI = 22, X2 = 29, p < 0-001.)


Dario kajal, new species, is described from Seinphoh stream in the Jaintia Hills of Meghalaya, India. It can be distinguished from all other congeners by the presence of a postorbital stripe that continues behind the eye in line with the preorbital stripe and by the presence in males of a series of double bars restricted to the upper half of the body. The discovery of D. kajal in the Meghna River drainage raises the number of Dario species to five and raises interesting questions about the biogeography of the genus.


This paper proposes a simple technique for modeling second-order Volterra systems using an adaptive second-order Volterra delay filter (ASOVDF). The developed filter structure essentially extends an adaptive FIR delay filter to include linear and quadratic filter coefficients with an input assumed to be a zero-mean i.i.d. sequence with a symmetric distribution. The implementation of the ASOVDF is based on a stage-by-stage modeling process. At each stage, a dominant delay element is determined, the corresponding adaptive filter coefficient is incorporated to the adaptive filter coefficients from previous stages, and then these filter coefficients are adapted via the recursive least-squares algorithm. The ASOVDF requires few filter coefficients and has better performance and less computational complexity over the conventional adaptive second-order Volterra filter (ASOVF) in modeling second-order Volterra systems with sparse kernels.


Abstract Background Healthcare room environmental surfaces can be frequently and continuously contaminated with multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) that can persist in the environment for a prolonged time. Here, we used a dilute hydrogen peroxide (DHP) gas system for continuous room decontamination and experimentally examined the germicidal efficacy of the new technology against MDROs. Methods DHP units were installed in ceilings of a model room and the hallway in front of the room. We tested three test organisms; methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE), and MDR-Acinetobacter baumannii. An estimated 100–500 CFU for each test organism was inoculated and spread separately on each Formica sheet then exposed to DHP gas released into the room air. Triplicate samples were collected at times 0, 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 24, and 48 hours. Following incubation, the colony forming units (CFU) of the test organisms on each Rodac plate were counted. Two separate experimental trials were performed for all time points. Statistical significance between intervention and control groups at each time point was determined by the Wilcoxon test, and P < 0.05 was considered significant. Results There were no statistical differences in survival between DHP intervention and control groups except data at very few time points for each organism (i.e., for MRSA in Figure 1, P = 0.0063 at 24 hours; for VRE in Figure 2, P = 0.0163 at 1 hour, P = 0.0163 at 3 hours; for MDR-Acinetobacter in in Figure 3, P = 0.0369 at 24 hours). The survival curves between both groups for each organism intersected at around 24 hours. The DHP units maintained a germicidal concentration (<0.3ppm for all runs) that was inadequate, despite attempts to control factors that could interfere with the hydrogen peroxide gas concentration. Conclusion Our preliminary study using DHP demonstrated inactivity against MDROs on room surfaces, likely because we were unable to generate a sufficient germicidal level under our test conditions with the particular DHP units. Additional technologic modifications would be required to maintain stable and effective DHP level for continuous room decontamination in patient rooms. Disclosures D. Sexton, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Grant Investigator, Grant recipient. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Foundation: Grant Investigator, Grant recipient. UpToDate: Collaborator, Royalty Recipient. D. J. Weber, PDI: Consultant, Consulting fee.


Many common statistical models can be specified as linear models with restrictions imposed on the parameters. A large amount of these models impose restrictions which do not allow for the analytical construction of the probability density function (pdf) of the parameters given the restrictions. This is often implicitly assumed which leads to an inconsistency as the pdf of the parameters of the linear specification under the imposed restrictions is then not nested within the assumed pdf of the unrestricted linear specification. The paper shows how these restrictions need to be incorporated by constructing the pdfs incorparating the restrictions and algorithms to sample from these pdfs. We show how these methods are applied to some common statistical models, i.e. ARMA, cointegration and simultaneous equation models.


3D force sensors have been proven its effectiveness and appropriateness for robotics applications. It has been used in medical and physical therapy applications such as surgical robot and Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Manipulation (IASTM) in the recent times. The 3D force sensors have been utilized in robot assisted surgeries and modern physical therapy devices to monitor the 3D forces for improved performances. The 3D force sensor performance and specifications depend on different design parameters, such as structural configuration, sensing elements placements, and load criterion. In this paper, different bioinspired structure configurations have been investigated and analyzed to obtain the optimal 3D force sensor configuration in terms of structural integrity, compactness, safety factor, and strain sensitivity. Finite Element Analysis (FEA) simulation was used for the analysis to minimize the time of the development cycle.


One of the important areas of Phase Changing Materials (PCM) is to increase the heat retention capacity of building components. Researches are carried out on the heat retention capacities of PCMs to store energy in building components and to ensure building temperature control. The use of PCM in building components has become an important tool for energy saving, since ensuring building temperature control in summer and winter conditions is a situation that requires continuity. This feature provided to the building component provides an improvement in the energy identity of the building. In general researches, the use of macro, micro encapsulated PCM decreases the heat conduction coefficient as it increases the heat retention capacity of the building components, but effects compressive strength positive or negative. However, when the capsule size used in micro capsule applications is reduced to 7 microns and below, it is seen that the strength increases, while the thermal conductivity coefficient continues to decrease. When the PCM capsule particle sizes used in the building components are reduced, it provides an improvement in the granulometry of the component, so a positive effect on strength is seen in the building components. As a result of this research, differences in compressive strength were observed depending on the macro, micro and nano dimensions and mixing ratios of the pcm addition. However, due to the continuous increase in the PCM ratio of the building component, the heat holding capacity of the building component increases and its thermal conductivity decreases.


Wojciech Szpankowskit Department of Computer Science Purdue University w. Lafayette, IN 47907 U.S.A. We have three results to report in this paper. First of all, we improve a result of Walkup who reported in 1979 that 2-out regular bipartite digraph has almost surely a perfect matching. We prove that a bipartite digraph (constructed in a special way) with the average out-degree of 1+ lie ~ 1.37 has almost surely a perfect matching. This value is only a little higher than the critical average out-degree e/2 :::::: 1.36 below which almost surely a perfect matching does not exist. Secondly, we use our finding to establish a new constructive upper bound for the linear assignment problem (LAP). NamelYl when the weights in the LAP are independently and identically uniformly distributed in the interval [0,1], we prove that the expected weight of the LAP is bounded above by 2+ lie +O(l/n) ~ 2.37+O(l/n). Finally, we present also a simple iterative scheme that produces a sequence of lower bounds fOT the LAP. In particulaT, the first iteration gives Lazarus' lower bound of I +lie +O(l/n), while the third iteration returns the value of 1.43 +O(l/n). Lower and upper bounds are derived in a unified manner by various applications of the random allocation model. -This research was primary done while the allthor was visiting Department of Computer Science, PurdlIe University. Support was provided in part by Grant KBN 2-1087-91-01. 'Tills author was supported in part by NSF Grant CCR-8900J05, and INT.89I26JI, by Grant AFOSR90-0107, and in part by Grant ROI LM05118 from the National Library of Medicine.


OBJECTIVE
To measure the serum levels of clusterin, an antiinflammatory protein, which binds and inactivates complement, in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) to determine whether the levels correlate with disease.

METHODS
The levels of serum clusterin were measured by ELISA in 80 patients with SLE (76 female, 4 male). Clinical and serological information was gathered on 115 visits. Overall disease activity scores were determined using the Systemic Lupus Activity Measure-Revised.

RESULTS
Serum clusterin levels were significantly decreased in patients with SLE and correlated inversely with disease activity (p < 0.00001). Low clusterin levels were significantly associated with skin ulcers (p < 0.0001), loss of hair (p = 0.002), proteinuria (p = 0.018), low platelet count (p = 0.03), and arthritis (p < 0.0001). The clusterin levels did not correlate with either systemic complement consumption, as measured by C3 or C4, or with prednisone use.

CONCLUSION
A highly significant correlation was observed between low levels of serum clusterin and a number of SLE disease features. This deficiency of clusterin could directly or indirectly affect the disease process. Individuals lacking sufficient amounts of clusterin systemically likely have poor control of antibody mediated inflammation at sites of apoptosis where autoantigens are exposed.


Nowadays, continuous casting (CC) is used for providing almost one hundred percent of steel world production. The control of quality in CC products cannot be achieved without the knowledge of heat transfer and solidification of cast slabs. The solidifying slab passing through the caster is subjected to variable thermal conditions and mechanical stresses which can cause many serious defects in final structure of slabs. These defects might be eliminated by the optimal control of casting process. This paper describes an algorithm used to obtain time dependant casting parameters for stabilization of the casting process where high productivity is preserved. The presented algorithm can be used in two regimes. The first regime (offline) can be used to find the control parameters such the casting speed and cooling intensities in the secondary cooling zone in order to get slab surface and core temperatures in specific ranges. The second regime allows the on-line regulation, stabilization of CC process and an immediate reaction to non-standard casting conditions such as a casting speed variation, or a breakdown of nozzle or cooling circuit in the secondary cooling. The algorithm is created as coupling between our original three-dimensional numerical model of temperature field and the regulation algorithm based on the fuzzy logic approach. The simulations indicate a good regulation efficiency and applicability for the real casting process.


The defect in Leiner's disease, which presents in early infancy with extensive dermatitis, diarrhoea, and failure to thrive, has been attributed to a defect of the fifth component of complement (C5). We report 2 brothers with extensive dermatitis and dysgammaglobulinaemia. Both died. The older showed symptoms of Leiner's disease: C5 tests were not performed. The younger had extensive dermatitis and was found to have the C5 defect. He developed normally, but died suddenly with pertussis. We postulate that the C5 defect is not the sole cause of Leiner's disease as has been suggested, but that hypogammaglobulinaemia or other lymphoid deficiency is also required for its expression.


In this paper, a new approach to class-A power amplifier design is proposed. Such a technique, which is mostly based on low-frequency characterisation, allows to reach the same design goals obtained through expensive nonlinear setups operating at microwave frequencies. In order to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed design technique, a practical example of class-A power amplifier design, based on GaN technology, is deeply investigated.


Restoration can recover degraded ecosystems and ecosystem services. However, effects of restoration on soil nutrient accrual are difficult to predict, partly because prior land use affects rates of soil nutrient recovery. In tallgrass prairie restorations, land-use legacy effects have not yet been quantified. We investigated topsoil carbon and nitrogen accrual within seven land-use histories: (1) row crop agriculture, (2) pasture, (3) pasture converted from row crops, (4) prairie restored from row crop, (5) prairie restored from old pasture, (6) bison prairie restored from pasture and row crops, and (7) remnant prairie. Soil samples were collected in 2008 and again in 2018 at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie in Will County, IL. Soil samples were analyzed for bulk density, root chemistry, macro- and micronutrients, and carbon. Restored prairies contained similar soil bulk densities and rates of topsoil carbon accrual compared to each other in 2018. However, restorations from row cropping accrued nitrogen more slowly than restorations from pastures. Additionally, pastures converted from crop fields exhibited fewer legacy effects than restorations converted from crop fields. This research illustrates land-use legacy effects on soil and nutrients during grassland restorations, with implications for potential restoration trajectories and their role in carbon sequestration and ecosystem functioning.


Miller's (1983) system of 'motivational interviewing' is elaborated by providing a theoretical context for understanding its impact, with a summary of research on motivational interventions. An extension of this approach, the Drinker's Check-up (DCU), is described as a potential intervention for health screening, treatment selection and matching, cleint self-assessment, and research. Initial data from a sample of 42 problem drinkers receiving the DCU suggest that this intervention may increase help-seeking and modestly suppress alcohol consumption. This approach is interpreted within the broader context of research on minimal interventions for problem drinkers.


Causes of substance abuse relapse among Mexican American and Anglo males were examined in a sample of 28 individuals attending substance abuse relapse groups at Bilingual Family Counseling Service. Data was gathered using a single, one time distribution of two scales, the Acculturation Rate Scale for Mexican Americans-II (ARSMA-II), which measured cultural assimilation towards the Anglo culture and a substance abuse scale developed by the researcher. Anglo participants completed only the substance abuse scale. The Mexican American participants completed both the ARSMA-II and substance abuse scale. Findings of this study provided scores of behavioral, environmental, physical cues and acculturation levels that influence substance abuse'relapse. The findings of this study indicated no significance in relation to causes of substance abuse due to small sample size. In relation to acculturation, findings indicated that acculturation levels had a limited influence on substance abuse relapse, but indicated a higher percentage of environmental influence in relation to substance abuse relapse. Other findings suggested a pattern of responses between demographics and


A dark-green-pigmented marine bacterium, previously designated D2, which produces components that are inhibitory to common marine fouling organisms has been characterized and assessed for taxonomic assignment. Based on direct double-stranded sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene, D2T was found to show the highest similarity (93%) to members of the genus Pseudoalteromonas. The G + C content of D2T is 42 mol%, and it is a facultatively anaerobic rod and oxidase-positive. D2T is motile by a sheathed polar flagellum, exhibited non-fermentative metabolism and required sodium ions for growth. The strain was not capable of using citrate, fructose, sucrose, sorbitol and glycerol but it utilizes mannose and maltose and hydrolyses gelatin. The molecular evidence, together with phenotypic characteristics, showed that this bacterium which produces an antifouling agent constitutes a new species of the genus Pseudoalteromonas. The name Pseudoalteromonas tunicata is proposed for this bacterium, and the type strain is D2T (= CCUG 26757T).


Introduction: The Fourth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES IV) data revealed high prevalence of end organ damage in Korean hypertensive population. We aimed to identify predictors for cerebral infarction in patients with hypertension from nationwide registry data. Methods: We analyzed 1,564 patients (male 44.8%, Age 63.6±12.1yrs) with diagnosed hypertension from KNHANES IV. We checked baseline demographic data and various clinical risk factors for cerebrovascular disease. Cross sectional analysis was performed to indentify predictors of cerebral infarction in selected patient cohort. Results: Diagnosis of cerebral infarction was confirmed in 102 patients (6.5%). In univariate analysis, old age, lower economic status, presence of hyperlipidemia, major depression, atopic dermatitis and proteinuria had statistically significant correlation with cerebral infarction. After multivariate analysis, low economic status (p=0.001, HR=3.088), atopic dermatitis(p=0.015, HR=3.294) and old age (0=0.001, HR=1.035) remained independent predictors of cerebral infarction. Conclusion: In addition to classical risk factors for cerebral infarction, presence of atopic dermatitis and low economic status were independent risk factors of cerebral infarction in Korean hypertensive population.


Today, many people prefer to build their lifestyles not on 'either/or', but on 'both/and also'. While hi-tech products, such as smart homes and smart phones, increasingly become essential parts of our modernized daily lives, people also become selective in what they consume. Within this context, the first glocal lifestyle arises and it seeks for leading the manufacturer with conscious consumption habits. This newly emerging glocal lifestyle is called Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability (LOHAS). This study is based on the existence of a population embracing LOHAS concept in Turkey, and gastronomy tourism, which is a type of special interest tourism, is considered in order to determine this target audience in terms of tourism. Therefore, Thrace Vineyard Route (TVR) enterprises were selected as samples, which were established in 2013 with the support of Thracian Development Agency (TRAKYAKA). Face-to-face interviews were conducted with people, who were either owner or the managers of eight out of all 12 TVR enterprises. Revealing the customer perceptions of TVR enterprises, their viewpoints, and the place and importance within their locations/whereabouts are among the objectives of this study. The data were evaluated through her hermeneutic research method and descriptive analysis technique. This is a heuristic research, since TVR and LOHAS have never been studied in Turkey before. It was observed at the end of this study that there exists a population embracing LOHAS lifestyle in Turkey, and it was determined that they have demands towards gastronomy tourism and some suggestions were offered through predictions regarding these demands.


Research was conducted to develop an electrostatic power generator for future lunar missions that facilitate the utilization of lunar resources. The lunar surface is known to be negatively charged from the constant bombardment of electrons and protons from the solar wind. The resulting negative electrostatic charge on the dust particles, in the lunar vacuum, causes them to repel each other minimizing the potential. The result is a layer of suspended dust about one meter above the lunar surface. This phenomenon was observed by both Clementine and Surveyor spacecrafts. During the Apollo 17 lunar landing, the charged dust was a major hindrance, as it was attracted to the astronauts' spacesuits, equipment, and the lunar buggies. The dust accumulated on the spacesuits caused reduced visibility for the astronauts, and was unavoidably transported inside the spacecraft where it caused breathing irritation [1]. In the lunar vacuum, the maximum charge on the particles can be extremely high. An article in the journal "Nature", titled "Moon too static for astronauts?" (Feb 2, 2007) estimates that the lunar surface is charged with up to several thousand volts [2]. The electrostatic power generator was devised to alleviate the hazardous effects of negatively charged lunar soil by neutralizing the charged particles through capacitive coupling and thereby simultaneously harnessing power through electric charging [3]. The amount of power generated or collected is dependent on the areal coverage of the device and hovering speed over the lunar soil surface. A thin-film array of capacitors can be continuously charged and sequentially discharged using a time-differentiated trigger discharge process to produce a pulse train of discharge for DC mode output. By controlling the pulse interval, the DC mode power can be modulated for powering devices and equipment. In conjunction with a power storage system, the electrostatic power generator can be a power source for a lunar rover or other systems. The negatively charged lunar soil would also be neutralized mitigating some of the adverse effects resulting from lunar dust.


This paper discusses a prototype that will harvest available RF waves in urban areas especially from 700 MHz to 6 GHz. The harvested energy, which of very low magnitude, is later amplified to a suitable value for the use in consumer appliances, especially for mobile devices. It will increase the mobility of the device and allow to use the unused electromagnetic wave for daily purposes, thus reducing the pressure on national power grid in a broad sense. In addition describes efficient methods for extracting DC power from electromagnetic radiation.


This paper addresses a classification problem in which class definition through training samples or otherwise is provided a priori only for a particular class of interest. Considerable time and effort may be required to label samples necessary for defining all the classes existent in a given data set by collecting ground truth or by other means. Thus, this problem is very important in practice, because one is often interested in identifying samples belonging to only one or a small number of classes. The problem is considered as an unsupervised clustering problem with initially one known cluster. The definition and statistics of the other classes are automatically developed through a weighted unsupervised clustering procedure that keeps the known cluster from losing its identity as the "class of interest". Once all the classes are developed, a conventional supervised classifier such as the maximum likelihood classifier is used in the classification. Experimental results with both simulated and real data verify the effectiveness of the proposed method.


On the basis of analysis of literary sources and front-rank pedagogical experience in the article historical bases and substantive theoretical provisions of the module teaching are shined at middle school Wide introduction of the module teaching in an educational process is examined as a prospect offurther development of ideas of the developing teaching.


This essay on Pipilotti Rist's music was written following her exhibition at the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston. It was published in the book "Wishing for Synchronicity: works by Pipilotti Rist" in 2009.

The essay argues that Rist's music, in conjunction with her video work, represents a utopia in the present, rather than one deferred. By showing a somatic immersion of actors amongst dream-like, or hallucinatory, imagery and ambient sound, Rist imagines environments where women can play securely and without inhibition, whether in countryside or city. Starting with sampled pop songs Rist then moves to electronic sound with collaborator Anders Guggisberg. Their treatments have close links to precedents in experimental music of the 1950s and 60s like compositions by Lou and Bebe Barron, Alvin Lucier and Pauline Oliveros.

That Rist's later work frequently incorporates sounds of water recalls the music of composers like Wendy Carlos and Annea Lockwood as well as the practice of sound ecologists like Murray Schafer who advocated attunement to sounds that were disappearing under the sonic assault of urban industrial noise. Rist's videos exclude urban industrial sounds in preference for drifting mixes of water, voice and subtle electronic motifs with imagery of women subverting expected rules and patterns of behavior. In this respect they align with Michel De Certeau's concept of "tactics" in navigating city streets where individuals unconsciously develop anti-geometric and anti-panoptic trajectories that embody present-day utopian practices.


Glycoside hydrolysis can be formally represented by (I). where the group O R ( R is alkyl, aryl or a carbohydrate) is displaced from the C1 or C2 atom of an aldose or ketose sugar (or sugar derivative) respectively; the ring system being either five- or six-membered. Like the analogous hydrolysis of acetals, glycoside hydrolysis shows specific catalysis by hydrogen ions and, except where R is an aryl residue, base catalysis is absent. A number of enzymes* catalysing the hydrolysis of particular glycosides have been characterized: all show a high degree of specificity towards the carbohydrate structures present in the substrates. Both the acid-catalysed and the enzyme-catalysed reactions have been much studied, but whereas the former are now reasonably well understood, the mechanisms involved in the latter are still largely unknown.


A novel metal borohydride ammonia-borane complex Ca(BH4)2·NH3BH3 is characterized as the decomposition product of the recently reported perovskite-type metal borohydride NH4Ca(BH4)3, suggesting that ammonium-based metal borohydrides release hydrogen gas via ammonia-borane-complexes. For the first time the concept of proton-hydride interactions to promote hydrogen release is applied to a cation-anion pair in a complex metal hydride. NH4Ca(BH4)3 is prepared mechanochemically from Ca(BH4)2 and NH4Cl as well as NH4BH4 following two different protocols, where the synthesis procedures are modified in the latter to solvent-based ball-milling using diethyl ether to maximize the phase yield in chlorine-free samples. During decomposition of NH4Ca(BH4)3 pure H2 is released, prior to the decomposition of the complex to its constituents. As opposed to a previously reported adduct between Ca(BH4)2 and NH3BH3, the present complex is described as NH3BH3-stuffed α-Ca(BH4)2.


ABSTRACT Hepatitis B virus (HBV) surface antigen (HBsAg) decay was explored in HIV-1- and HBV-coinfected patients beginning antiretroviral (ARV) therapy containing tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF). The mean HBsAg decay was 0.38 log10 IU/ml/year (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.71 to 0.05) in 18 patients with sustained plasma HIV-1 RNA suppression and 0.15 log10 IU/ml/year (0.21 to 0.09) in 12 patients experiencing HIV-1 virologic failure due to suboptimal adherence to ARV (P = 0.17). We estimated that six of these 18 patients will attain HBsAg values below 10 IU/ml after 10 years of treatment.


Although diverse claims have been made for the effectiveness of transcendental meditation' (TM), there are deficiencies in the reports. Firstly, many rely on solicited testimonials without the use of controls. Secondly, those studies that have incorporated non-meditators as a control do not ensure that the two groups are comparable in their desire to change. By their decision to learn meditation meditators not only indicate a desire for self-improvement not shown by nonmeditators but also they may be ripe for growth and may improve regardless of what they choose to do. Thirdly, there may be a placebo effect from, for example, the very act of going to a class or paying for instruction which may serve to make the case for TM more attractive. Fourthly, studies that attribute to meditators better psychological health as a result of practising TM tend to rely on a retrospective index of ill-health. Unless the problem of initial group differences is overcome extrapolations from experimental data of the specific efficacy of TM are invalid. We report a study in which we compared the efficacy of TM with that of progressive relaxation2 (PR) in reducing anxiety.


A study was carried out to isolate hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria associated with environmental samples collected from Ilaje coastal area, Nigeria. The samples were analyzed microbiologically using standard microbiological techniques. These organisms were further studied to determine their biodegrading activities on hydrocarbons (diesel, kerosene, petrol) using enrichment medium. The microbial growths were determined using spectrophotometer blanked at 600 nm. The nine bacteria isolated from environmental samples were Enterobacter aerogenes, Pseudomonas aeroginosa, Aerococcus viridian, Clostridium sporogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Micrococcus luteus, Streptococcus faecalis and Bacillus sp. It was observed from the result that the length of incubation had significant effect on degradation as well as the cell load. For all the bacteria, there was general increase in length of incubation with the various hydrocarbons. The results showed that there was degradation of oil, mostly between days 1 and 3. It was also observed that there was a gradual decline in the concentration of the broth, between days 4 and 7, which suggests decrease in the bacterial population and that the oil was being degraded. The test on the degrading activity of isolates on hydrocarbon revealed that S. aureus, C. sporogenes, S. faecalis andBacillus sp. were the best degraders of kerosene, petrol and diesel, respectively. The ability of these isolates to degrade hydrocarbons is clear evidence that their genome harbors the relevant degrading gene. However, an important limiting factor is the slow rate of degradation which often limits the practicality of using microorganisms in remediating hydrocarbon impacted environment.  Further research in this area can make a marked improvement.

 Key words: Biodegrading activity, bioremediation, microorganisms, incubation period, oil spill.


Chronic thermotolerance was induced in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells by pretreatment at 40 degrees C for various times ranging from 15 min to 16 h. The thermotolerant cells were either exposed to single heat treatments at 43 degrees C or subjected to step-down heating consisting of a priming treatment at 43 degrees C for 90 min immediately followed by a graded test treatment at 40 degrees C. The results showed that chronic thermotolerance affected the thermal sensitivity of step-down-heated CHO cells in two ways: by lowering the effectiveness of the priming treatment at 43 degrees C and by reducing the response to the test treatment at 40 degrees C. The effect on the priming treatment corresponds to a reduction in the effective heating time, i.e. the thermotolerant cells respond as if they were exposed to 43 degrees C for times shorter than 90 min. It was further shown that, for a given conditioning treatment, the effectiveness of both the priming and the test treatment was reduced by the same factor; the thermotolerance ratios determined for 43 degrees C and 40 degrees C showed an identical dependence on the duration of the thermotolerance-inducing conditioning treatment. Since thermotolerance development did not reverse heat sensitization by step-down heating, it is concluded that thermotolerance and thermosensitization are distinct phenomena which act independently.


We report angle dispersive X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements and Raman spectroscopy on NH4Br up to 70.0 GPa at room temperature. Three thermodynamically stable phases (phases II, IV, and V) are confirmed and a new possible phase (phase VI) of P21/m symmetry is proposed whose structure was established from Rietveld refinement of synchrotron XRD data for the first time. The phase sequence observed in NH4Br is in accordance with phase II → IV → V → VI. Phase V transforms into phase VI at about 57.8 GPa with a huge volume reduction of 30%. Still, the intramolecular distances are analyzed to better understand the nature of structures. The H-H interactions become markedly more important as the N-Br distances are compacted, which is probably the reason of the kink of symmetric stretching band (ν1) at the transition pressure.


Several organisms or interaction of organisms have been described for a long time interval from late Paleozoic to Cretaceous as Tubiphytes with type species T. obscurus MASLOV (1956). Paleozoic Tubiphytes were revised by SENOWBARI-DARYAN & FLÜGEL (1993), Triassic representatives still needed to be revised. For Jurassic (extremely abundant in upper Jurassic) and Cretaceous organisms, known as ";;Tubiphytes";; morronensis CRESCENTI (1969), the new genus name Crescentina was proposed by SENOWBARI-DARYAN et al. (2007). Because this generic name was invalidely published, we propose here the genus name Crescentiella. Differences of Crescentiella nov. gen. and Tubiphytes MASLOV are discussed. The systematic position of Crescentiella as foraminifer, interaction of foraminifer and cyanophyceans or as special kind of oncolites is discussed. It is interpreted as symbiosis or encrustation between cyanobacteria and nubecularid foraminifer, uncertain tube or rarely other biogenic components. Comments on similar associations, e.g. genus Labes ELIASOVA, are provided.


Algorithmic fairness research has traditionally been linked to the disciplines of philosophy, ethics, and economics, where notions of fairness are prescriptive and seek objectivity. Increasingly, however, scholars are turning to the study of what different people perceive to be fair, and how these perceptions can or should help to shape the design of machine learning, particularly in the policy realm. The present work experimentally explores five novel research questions at the intersection of the "Who," "What," and "How" of fairness perceptions. Specifically, we present the results of a multi-factor conjoint analysis study that quantifies the effects of the specific context in which a question is asked, the framing of the given question, and who is answering it. Our results broadly suggest that the "Who" and "What," at least, matter in ways that are 1) not easily explained by any one theoretical perspective, 2) have critical implications for how perceptions of fairness should be measured and/or integrated into algorithmic decision-making systems.


This paper focuses on the problem of turbo equalization for MIMO frequency selective fading channels under the presence of unknown co-channel interference (UCCI). We develop an approach where paths' gains computation, UCCI plus noise covariance matrix estimation, signals equalization and detection, and channel decoding are performed in an iterative fashion. A computationally efficient method based on a MMSE criterion and successive interference cancellation (SIC) is used for channel equalization. The proposed receiver is validated through Monte-Carlo simulations


This paper explores some of the dynamics of urban network traffic flow during a large-scale evacuation in the context of the network fundamental diagram (NFD). The structure of the evacuation demand can significantly affect network performance. A radial-shaped structure results in a more stable network recovery compared with a directional evacuation structure. This study confirms the existence of unloading–reloading hysteresis when a network is subject to successive cycles of loading and unloading. If a network undergoes a complete or near-complete recovery, the reloading path in the NFD follows almost the same path as in the initial loading. Results suggest that the linear relationship between average network flow and trip completion rate does not always hold, as previously thought. The relationship becomes highly scattered and nonlinear when the network is highly congested and under disruption and the number of adaptive drivers is sufficiently large. Frequent route switching by adaptive drivers can artificially increase the average network flow but does not necessarily increase the network output (trip completion rate). Adaptive driving increases fluctuations in the NFD; however, it reduces hysteresis and gridlock while increasing network capacity.


Abstract. Wood poles are among the main components of electrical distribution systems. They have to be replaced every 20—30 years due to wood decay. To reduce costs, utilities need an efficient nondestructive tool to determine the appropriate replacement time. Different techniques exist for this purpose, such as X- or gamma-ray tomography, indentation, and methods based on measurement of electrical conductivity, ultrasonic propagation, or simply bacterial culturing. Since none of these methods satisfy these utilities, it was decided to study in detail infrared thermography (NDT) in this particular context. The hypothesis is that in this particular context, wood decay corresponds to a different moisture content with respect to sound wood. In Part I of the paper the problem of wood pole NDT is analyzed using a dedicated thermal model and three different types of heating: internal through-hole, external, and by microwave. Experiments confirm modeling results: due to large defect depths, low wood thermal diffusivity, and the wood properties dependencies upon temperature, moisture, species, and fiber orientation, infrared thermography (IRT) is not appropriate for this inspection problem unless defects are close to the surface. Discussion of wood thermal properties is also included in Part I. In Part II of the paper, the wood decay inspection problem is revisited in a simpler manner: flat instead of circular geometry and shallower defects. Thermal modeling along with experimental results are presented, and the comparison is encouraging.


The network audio-visual entrepreneurship in China has achieved great progress and engendered conspicuous negative externalities in the early development stage. Few studies have investigated how media entrepreneurship coordinates with government regulation and the influence of government regulation on media entrepreneurship. This study aims at investigating government regulation on the flourishing network audio-visual entrepreneurship. This study performs semi-structured interviews with 14 respondents who are experienced in government regulation of the network audio-visual sector. It is found that license management and content censorship are principal approaches to regulating entrepreneurship. The media companies have been constrained by limited government support and social resources, and therefore endeavored to legitimate their business by collaborating with Internet conglomerates. Strict rules of content censorship discourage users from producing audio-visual content, and impose restrictions on Internet companies and other producers producing and displaying audio-visual content.