Molecular dynamics simulation is used to model the structure and thermodynamic properties of a novel rubbery polymer with promising membrane properties for hydrocarbon separation. A realistic united atom force field is developed based on extensive density functional theory quantum mechanics calculations for a model dimer and volumetric data at various temperatures and pressures. Both a constant bond length and a flexible bond length model are examined. Well-equilibrated structures of the polymer melt at various conditions are used to evaluate numerous thermodynamic properties, such as the isothermal compressibility, thermal expansion coefficient, and cohesive energy density, and structural properties, including intra- and intermolecular distribution functions and the static structure factor. The microscopic structure of the free volume of the polymer matrix and its evolution with time affects the diffusion of penetrant molecules considerably; they are calculated accurately using the Greenfield and Theodor...


Risk of intensive practice in sportswomen. Intensive sports practice in women exposes to specific risks, depending on the sport, such as the athlete triad, the increased risk of stress fracture, and lastly the perineal dysfunction. Risk factor screening including the relativ energy deficiency in sport, the sub clinical menstrual disturbances and a special vigilance ahead of perineal constrained sports help preserve the sportswoman's health. The search for performance and the intensive practice do not exclude that the sportswoman can integrate the pregnancy project into her life, with several adaptations in intensity, duration and frequency of sessions to promote maternity without maternal or fetal risk, and a calm recovery in the post-partum period. Sharing the information with the sportswoman and her environment is essential to reassure and to implement a comprehensive prevention strategy with her.


Currently, many attacks are targeting legitimate domain names. In homograph attacks, attackers exploit human visual misrecognition, thereby leading users to visit different (fake) sites. These attacks involve the generation of new domain names that appear similar to an existing legitimate domain name by replacing several characters in the legitimate name with others that are visually similar. Specifically, internationalized domain names (IDNs), which may contain non-ASCII characters, can be used to generate/register many similar IDNs (homograph IDNs) for their application as phishing sites. A conventional method of detecting such homograph IDNs uses a predefined mapping between ASCII and similar non-ASCII characters. However, this approach has two major limitations: (1) it cannot detect homograph IDNs comprising characters that are not defined in the mapping and (2) the mapping must be manually updated. Herein, we propose a new method for detecting homograph IDNs using optical character recognition (OCR). By focusing on the idea that homograph IDNs are visually similar to legitimate domain names, we leverage OCR techniques to recognize such similarities automatically. Further, we compare our approach with a conventional method in evaluations employing 3.19 million real (registered) and 10,000 malicious IDNs. Results reveal that our method can automatically detect homograph IDNs that cannot be detected when using the conventional approach.


In our previous study, we have investigated the relationship between the shape of the curved passages and the sense of direction using a head-mounted display (Oculus Quest/Oculus). However, the horizontal visual field of the head-mounted display used in the study was about 90 degrees, whereas the human horizontal visual field is about 200 degrees. Because of this, the results could be different when passing through a curved passage with a wider horizontal visual field. Therefore, in this study, the effect of the horizontal visual field on the accuracy of the sense of direction in the curved passages was investigated.Ten college students participated in the experiment. The subjects were asked to wear a head-mounted display with a visual field of about 180 degrees (StarVR One/ StarVR Corporation) and hold a controller. The subjects also wore soundproof earmuffs to prevent hearing the surrounding sounds. After that, they were asked to walk through some curved passages constructed in a virtual environment.First, a virtual arrow was displayed and arranged at the beginning point of the passage. The subjects were asked to memorize the direction indicated by the virtual arrow (instructed direction). After memorization was completed, the subjects were asked to walk to the end of the passage. When the subjects reach the end of the passage, the entire passage was removed, and only an arrow indicating the traveling direction at the endpoint of the passage appears. After the arrow appeared, the subjects changed the direction of the arrow with the controller to reproduce the instructed direction (reproduced direction). The difference in angle between the "instructed direction" and the "reproduced direction" was used to extract the change in the sense of direction.The passages used in the experiment consisted of curved and straight parts. The width of the passages was 1500 mm, the height was 2500 mm, and the radius of curvature of the curved part was 3500 mm inside and 5000 mm outside. The turning angle of the curved passage was set at six levels in 15 degrees increments, ranging from 15 to 90 degrees (15, 30, 45, 60, 75, and 90 degrees). Furthermore, the subject's horizontal visual field was restricted to two levels (90 and 180 degrees). A total of twelve conditions were set by combining these two variables. Each condition was presented twice in a random order for each subject.As a result of the experiment, no significant difference was detected in the difference between the "instructed direction" and "reproduced direction" between the condition with the horizontal visual field of 90 degrees and 180 degrees. This result suggested that the accuracy of the sense of direction is not significantly changed even if the horizontal visual field is restricted to 90 degrees. Therefore, the visual field outside of 90 degrees does not seem to affect the accuracy of direction sense in curved passage. For this reason, it is assumed that our previous study results can be applied even when the visual field is wider than 90 degrees.


Asymmetric Schottky contact thin-film-transistors (ASC-TFTs) with an amorphous- In2Ga2ZnO7 channel were fabricated, and their operation characteristics were examined. Ti, Ni, and Pt were evaluated as source/drain metal, and the variations in the device performance were analyzed in terms of energy level and bias polarity, which were carefully simulated to understand the influence of the contact properties on the device performance. The contact nature largely influenced the distribution of potential under the given gate and drain biases, as well as the accompanying carrier accumulation layer and current path formation. Schottky-type contact induced conduction path formation even on the back surface of the channel when drain voltage was high even with sufficiently high gate bias being applied. Based on these results, by applying different metal for each source and drain metal, ASC-TFTs integrating TFTs and Schottky diodes were fabricated, which showed a rectification ratio of drain current higher than 108 according to the bias direction. In addition, the transfer and output characteristics of ASC-TFTs were evaluated for various operation regimes, and the roles of the Schottky junction in device operation were studied in detail.


This article reviews recent developments Egyption Presidentiel Elections in terms of Egyptian officials and opposition media and their influence on the development of the event is following the popular revolution in Egypt.


Caregivers of People with dementia (PwD) commonly experience burdens and other mental health issues, e.g., depression and anxiety. At present, there are limited studies that examine the relationships between caregiver psychological factors and caregiver burden, and depressive and anxiety symptoms. Therefore, this study's objectives were to examine the relationships between psychological flexibility and mindfulness in caregivers of PwD, and to determine the predictors of these three outcomes. This was a cross-sectional study conducted in the geriatric psychiatry clinic of Kuala Lumpur Hospital, Malaysia, and the sample (n = 82) was recruited via a universal sampling method over three months. The participants completed a questionnaire that consisted of the sociodemographics of the PwD and caregivers, illness characteristics of the PwD, Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II (AAQ-II), Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), Zarit Burden Interview Scale (ZBI), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7). The results show that despite significant relationships between psychological flexibility and mindfulness and lower levels of caregiver burden, and depressive and anxiety symptoms (p < 0.01), only psychological inflexibility (p < 0.01) remained as a significant predictor of the three outcomes. Therefore, in conclusion, intervention programs that target the awareness of the caregiver's psychological inflexibility should be implemented to alleviate these adverse outcomes in dementia caregivers.


The purpose of the study is to present a digital marketing data analytics model to analyze campaign efficacy and inform strategy based on website performance, social media metrics, email marketing performance, customer data for targeting and personalization, and customer journey analysis. This model defines campaign success criteria for strategy. A statistical analysis approach was used to analyze the data for the research. Data was gathered through a survey. This study analyzes demographic parameters descriptively using the structural equation model (SEM). From comprehensive surveys, 125 digital media and 115 online shop subjects responded. Sampled were 240 people. According to the findings, social media data, customer journey research, successful advertising, and informed approaches are highly correlated. Compared to the previous study, website performance evaluation does not match the marketing plan's success. The model's results can be used by any company that communicates with clients online.


Objective

To describe agreement between patient (PT) report and medical chart (CH) documentation of smoking status and exacerbation frequency/severity in severe (SEV) and very SEV COPD.

Methods

Within this 2011-12 CH review/PT survey, 99 US-based pulmonologists and primary care physicians recruited physician-reported SEV or very SEV COPD PTs who had experienced a moderate (MOD) or SEV exacerbation in the last 3 months. Smoking status, 12-month exacerbation frequency, and exacerbation severity were compared between CH vs PT self-report using concordance, weighted kappa (κ) statistics, and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC).

Results

Of 314 PTs, 25.5%/68.8% reported current/former smoking, with high PT vs CH agreement (κ=0.878). Severities of most recent PT- and CH-reported exacerbations were concordant in 79.2% (54.4% agree MOD; 24.8% agree SEV; 20.7% not concordant; κ=0.540). PTs reported a mean±SD of 2.5±2.7/1.0±1.3 MOD/SEV exacerbations vs CH-reported, 1.8±1.3/0.9±1.0, with poor to MOD agreement (MOD 41.7% concordant, ICC=0.17 [CI: 0.06-0.27]; SEV 69.7% concordant, ICC=0.54 [0.45-0.61]; total MOD/SEV 42.9% concordant; ICC=0.23 [0.12-0.33]). When not concordant, PTs tended to report more exacerbations than CH.

Conclusions

As there is a movement towards greater use of PT-reported outcomes, it is important to consider that PT experiences provide complimentary, but not identical, information vs CH. The greater number of PT vs CH-documented exacerbations may indicate underestimated exacerbation incidence and burden, but this may be attributed in part to recall bias. Low concordance between PT vs CH highlights the necessity of using multiple sources to fully understand COPD burden and outcomes.


Computer Supported Telecommunication Applications (CSTA) is a widely adopted ECMA/ISO standard suite for global and enterprise communications. As it becomes evident that spoken language systems are playing an ever important role in telecommunications, CSTA has been revised to include a specification on spoken language interfaces so as to promote the interoperability and adoption of spoken language technologies. The new specification shares the same design philosophy as the Speech Application Language Tags, or SALT, that provides simple yet rich functionality for spoken language processing. The tight integration of speech into the telecommunication infrastructure not only presents many technical benefits but also ushers in an era that can potentially make spoken language technologies even more prevalent in our daily lives. This paper describes the design considerations for the specification, and shows how this new standard can be used in conjunction with other standards to create powerful speech applications.


In recent years, climate change has altered many ecosystems due to a combination of frequent droughts, irregular precipitation, increasingly salinized areas and high temperatures. These environmental changes have also caused a decline in crop yield worldwide. Therefore, there is an urgent need to fully understand the plant responses to abiotic stress and to apply the acquired knowledge to improve stress tolerance in crop plants. The accumulation of polyamines (PAs) in response to many abiotic stresses is one of the most remarkable plant metabolic responses. In this review, we provide an update about the most significant achievements improving plant tolerance to drought, salinity, low and high temperature stresses by exogenous application of PAs or genetic manipulation of endogenous PA levels. We also provide some clues about possible mechanisms underlying PA functions, as well as known cross-talks with other stress signaling pathways. Finally, we discuss about the possible use of PAs for seed priming to induce abiotic stress tolerance in agricultural valuable crop plants.


BACKGROUND
Obstructive lung disease and lung cancer are tobacco-related diseases that can remain clinically silent until late in the disease process. We sought to define the risk for incident lung cancer among a national cohort of US adults with and without obstructive lung disease.

METHODS
We studied participants in the First National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, who had up to 22 years of follow-up. We classified subjects as having moderate or severe obstructive lung disease at baseline if the ratio of forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) to forced vital capacity (FVC) was less than 70% and the FEV1 was less than 80% of the predicted value. We also determined incident cases of lung cancer during the follow-up period.

RESULTS
A total of 113 lung cancers occurred in the 5402 adults in the cohort. In the proportional hazards model adjusted for covariates of age, sex, race, education, smoking status, and duration and intensity of smoking, the presence of moderate or severe obstructive lung disease was associated with a higher risk for incident lung cancer (hazard ratio, 2.8; 95% confidence interval, 1.8-4.4).

CONCLUSIONS
The presence of moderate or severe obstructive lung disease is a significant predictor of incident lung cancer in long-term follow-up. This finding may be useful clinically and in studies evaluating the utility of new tools for the early detection of lung cancer.


This study examines transitions in marriage by merging the frameworks of the relational turbulence model and the experiencing life transitions model. An online survey presented 208 married individuals with open-ended questions and closed-ended scales that gathered information about a particularly important transition in the respondent's marriage, the quality of their relationship during the transition, and the strategies used to navigate the transition. Analyses, which focused on 157 participants who reported experiencing a transition in their marriage, revealed 10 categories of transitions, the most frequent of which were sparked by health issues or the death of a loved one. Type of transition demonstrated unique associations with relational uncertainty, interference from a partner, relational turbulence, and transition processing activity. Several significant associations between qualities of relational turbulence, engagement in transition processing activity, and transition valence emerged.


Eucalyptus pellita seeds have a very small size, so that it needed techniques of seed sorting using sieves to increase quality of the physical and the physiological. This study aims to determine sieve size for sorting seeds of E. pellita so as to maintain viability. E. pellita seeds used in this study comes from seedling seed orchard (KBS) in southern Sumatra, South Kalimantan, and Riau. Seed sorting is done with some sieve size namely 200 µm, 400 µm, and 600 µm. Parameters measured were the purity, weight of 1000 grain seeds, and germination.  The results showed that the size of a 600 µm of sieve is appropriate for sorting seeds E.Pellita , because it can result in weight of 1000 grains (0.0362 grams), purity (60.54%) and higher germination percentage (184 sprouts/0.1 grams)  than the others.


The paper presents an overview and the main results of the Erasmus+ project titled Interactive Course for Control Theory – ICCT. The project was started by four European Universities when they identified by a survey that students find Control Theory more challenging to understand compared to other subjects. The project's main goal was to develop a platform, which would offer examples from the field of Control Theory in an interactive way – ICCT. Frequently asked questions (FAQ) and test exam questions were added as well. To support the course, an accompanying textbook was prepared. At this point, the course and the accompanying textbook are available in English and the languages of the partner universities; since both of them are publicly available, we assume they will be offered in other languages in future. The benefits of implementing our interactive course are already visible in better survey results and improved grades in Control Theory-related subjects.


Caveat is a static analysis tool designed to help verify safety critical software. It operates on ANSI C programs. It was developed by CEA, the French nuclear agency and is used as an operational tool by Airbus-France and EdF, the French electricity company. It is mainly based on Hoare Logic and rewriting of first order logic predicates. The main features of Caveat are property synthesis, navigation facilities, and proof of properties.


Examination of Chart 1 suggests that monetary developments in the second half of the 1980s may be divided into three distinct periods. In the first period, 1986 to mid-1989, monetary policy eased considerably; the call money rate declined from a peak of 6.9 percent to an average of 5.5 percent, and money growth accelerated to an average of 10 percent annually, compared to 8.3 percent from 1981 to 1985. In the second period, frommid-1989 to mid-1991, policy tightened; the call money rate rose to a peak of 8.2 percent and broad money growth responded with a lag, rising to a \vithin-period peak of 8.4 percent in July 1990, and then declining sharply. In the third period, from mid-1991 to the present, monetary policy eased and the call money rate again fell sharply. However, as the Chart vividly illustrates, money growth has remained sluggish, growing at an average of around 2.5 percent up to the middle of this year, and most recently declining. Such sluggish money growth has not been observed during past recessions identified in the Chart. After years of being the fastest growing among the major industrial economies, Japan appears to be in the midst of a cyclical downturn. Growth h~<; slowed from 5.2 percent in 1990 (year-overyear) to 4.5 percent in 1991, and the OECD forecasts that 1992 will come in at 1.8 percent. Such moderate growth is generally associated with recessions in japan (see Weekly Letter 92-10).


The corotational technique exploits the technology that applies to a two–noded element a coordinatesystem which continuously translates and rotates with the element. In this way, the rigid bodymotion is separated out from the deformational motion. In this paper, a mixed formulation is adoptedfor the derivation of the local element tangent stiffness matrix and nodal forces. The mixed finiteelement formulation is based on the two–field Hellinger–Reissner variational principle. This localelement, together with the corotational framework, can be used to analyze the nonlinear bucklingand postbuckling of thin–walled beams with arbitrary cross–section. The mixed formulation solutionis compared against the results obtained from a corotational displacement–based formulation havingthe same beam kinematics. The superiority of the mixed formulation is clearly demonstrated.


Background: Periodontal disease, a common disorder of the tissue surrounding and supporting the teeth, is a major cause of tooth loss in adults. Periodontal infection by oral microorganisms may have systemic effects and has been associated with several types of cancer. However, its association with liver cancer has only been examined in two prospective studies, both of which had very small number of liver cancer cases (n Methods: We examined the association of tooth loss, as a proxy measure of periodontal infection, with primary liver cancer incidence and chronic liver disease mortality in the Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention (ATBC) study, a prospective cohort of male Finnish smokers (n = 29,096). Number of permanent teeth lost was assessed at study baseline (1985-1988). We used Cox proportional hazards models to calculate multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). As a sensitivity analysis, we conducted a nested case-control study to assess confounding by hepatitis B or C virus (HBV or HCV) infection and seropositivity of Helicobacter pylori. Results: A total of 213 incident primary liver cancers occurred during a mean follow-up of 17 years. Having 11-31 permanent teeth lost was associated with a 42% higher risk of liver cancer (HR=1.42, 95% CI: 1.01-1.98), and having all 32 teeth lost was associated with a 45% higher risk of liver cancer (HR=1.45, 95% CI: 1.00-2.10), compared to having 0-10 teeth lost. In the sensitivity analysis, adjusting for Helicobacter pylori seropositivity yielded a modest attenuation of the effect estimate, whereas adjustment for HBV or HCV did not materially change the results. No consistent pattern was observed for liver disease mortality (n = 250 deaths). Conclusions: In this study, greater number of teeth lost was associated with higher risk of primary liver cancer. Further investigations are warranted to clarify the role of periodontal infection in hepatocarcinogenesis and to determine the utility of tooth loss as a predictor of liver cancer development. Citation Format: Baiyu Yang, Jessica L. Petrick, Christian C. Abnet, Barry I. Graubard, Stephanie J. Weinstein, Satu Mannisto, Demetrius Albanes, Katherine A. McGlynn. Tooth loss, liver cancer incidence, and chronic liver disease mortality in the ATBC study. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Improving Cancer Risk Prediction for Prevention and Early Detection; Nov 16-19, 2016; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2017;26(5 Suppl):Abstract nr A13.


Aquarium microcosms were used to study the effects of nitrogen source and aeration mode on the growth and species changes of algae in freshwater. Nitrate nitrogen(NO3(-) -N) and ammonia nitrogen(NH4(+) -N) were used as nitrogen sources. For each nitrogen source, four modes of aeration were selected, including control, continuous aeration, aeration during the day, and aeration at night. In the early stage of the experiment, algae in the NH4(+) -N treatment experiment grew well. In the later stage, algae in the NO3(-) -N treatment experiment grew better. For different aeration modes, continuous aeration show varied effects on algae growth in the two nitrogen source treatments. Day-only aeration had little effect on algae growth. Night-only aeration inhibited algae growth considerably. In NH(+) -N treatments, cyanophyta became dominant species easily. In contrast, chlorophyta dominated in NO3(-) -N treatments.


Most of the LV customer have been applied the distribution system of 3-phase four wire system because of its advantage of supplying both of 1-phase & 3-phase loads simultaneously. Due to its structural simplicity, it is more convenient for use rather than the conventional separated scheme. But uneven load distribution or unclean voltage quality has occurred various problems such as de-rating, losses increase and vibration, etc. In this paper, voltage, current and power waveform in the actual fields have measured and analyzed in relation with internationally allowable voltage unbalance limits and compared the current unbalance factor with the load unbalance factor.


This study examined the effect of age on the posthepatic delivery of oral glucose (PHDG) during steady-state conditions. We used an intravenous-oral modification of the euglycemic insulin-clamp technique to assess PHDG in six men aged 24–39 yr (young) and eight men aged 65–83 yr (old). Each subject underwent two studies in which insulin was infused at 120 mU.m−2 · min−1 for 3 h, and either oral glucose (45 g) or water was given 60 min after initiating insulin. This level of insulin infusion is known to fully suppress hepatic glucose output. For each subject, PHDG was calculated as the difference between the whole-body glucose disposal rates in the paired studies. The time course of PHDG differed in the two groups (P < .0001), with an overall delay in PHDG in the older men. During the 1st h, younger men showed a greater PHDG (58.6 ± 3.8% of the oral load vs. 45.1 ± 4.2%) than the older group (P = .04). During the 2nd h, PHDG was less in the younger group (20.7 ± 4.9%) than the older group (36.6 ± 3.9%, P = .02). Over the 2-h period, total PHDG was comparable in younger (79.3 ± 7.4%) and older (81.7 ± 7.9%) men. These results indicate that normal aging is associated with significantly delayed but overall equal PHDG in men, consistent with the greater effect of age on 2-h rather than earlier postprandial glucose levels. It reinforces the role of impaired peripheral utilization as the primary mechanism of the glucose intolerance of aging.


There is no consensus among scholars of myth as to how the central concept of their field should be defined. What is a 'myth' and how does it differ from a 'belief'? Moreover, scholars have argued for a homological relationship between myth and ritual. Semantically, the word 'myth' has a connotation of disbelief in 'superstition', and the word 'belief' should be substituted when talking about religious practices. Likewise, the word 'ritual' may be substituted with 'ceremonial', which has connotations that are more positive. Earlier publications that associate ancestral veneration with the words 'myth' or 'superstition' display a judgemental view of the beliefs of other cultures. In this article, the author attempts, via recourse to the use of the word 'myth', to describe and interpret traditional and cultural belief systems among the Bapedi people of Limpopo Province in South Africa. It is argued that myth should not be reduced to ritual nor ritual to myth. Belief and ritual, in Bapedi religion and belief systems, complete and complement each other, thus allowing the harmonious unison of meta and paralinguistic elements in religiocultural discourse. The focus of this study is to explore and document these links within the context of the Bapedi culture.


The objective of this work was the optimization of the conditions of callus and cell suspension culture of Elaeagnus angustifolia for the production of condensed tannins. The effects of different conditions on the callus growth and the production of condensed tannins were researched. The leaf tissue part of E. angustifolia was optimum explant of callus induction. The best callus growth and the highest condensed tannins production was obtained under the culture on MS basal medium containing 1.00 mg·L-1 2,4-D and 0.50 mg·L-1 BA. The optimum time of subculture was 20 - 25 d. The results showed the contents of condensed tannins decreased gradually at the beginning of the callus differentiation. Vigorous and friable callus was used for cell suspension culture. Study on the effect of medium and the hormone combination showed that plenty of incompact and rapid growing suspension cells were obtained from cultures grown in liquid medium supplemented with 0.1 mg·L-1 BA + 0.1 mg·L-1 TDZ. The study provided an efficient way for E. angustifolia cell suspension culture to produce secondary metabolite.


The increased energy expended by the host to synthesize substrate, which is utilized by the tumor, is a potential cause of cancer cachexia. In vivo glucose and alanine kinetics were examined by tracer methodology in a sarcoma‐bearing rat model. The effects of 3‐mercaptopicolinic acid, a potent inhibitor of gluconeogenesis, was also examined on this model. Both tumor‐bearing (TB) and nontumor bearing (NTB) animals were gaining weight prior to study and the tumors were relatively small. The TB animals had significantly lower plasma glucose and higher blood lactic acid levels compared with NTB animals. After inhibition of gluconeogenesis, the plasma glucose decreased and the blood lactate increased significantly more in TB than NTB animals. The glucose turnover rate was significantly greater in TB compared with NTB animals, as was the rate of glucose recycling and the rate of gluconeogenesis (alanine → glucose), both energy demanding processes. These results suggest that the tumor‐bearing animal, even prior to significant cachexia, has an excess demand for energy, the provision of which may be a significant factor in malignant cachexia.


Twenty-five male volunteers were tested isokinetically for knee extension fatigability. A series of 10 maximal knee extensions were performed at 4 different contractile velocities: 60 degrees, 150 degrees, and 300 degrees/sec. Isokinetic fatigue curves were plotted for each of the test conditions. The degradation of torque values was expressed as a percentage of each subject's maximum torque value at that particular contractile speed. The results of the investigation indicate that (1) the isokinetic fatigue curve for knee extension appears to be linear during the initial stages of the fatiguing process; and (2) fatigue curves for knee extension appear to be identical regardless of the contractile velocity selected for investigation.


SUMMARY Male CD-1 mice inoculated by gavage with 400 larvae of Trichinella spiralis exhibited an increased latency of the wall-seeking response as well as a decline in running speed and the distance travelled to the first stop when compared with normal controls or animals inoculated with only 100 larvae. Doses of 200 larvae of this parasite affected running speed and distance travelled but not the advent of the running response. Such changes in behaviour may reduce the competitive fitness of the host and render it more susceptible to predation.


Acute type-A aortic dissection (ATAAD) is a dreadfully fatal cardiovascular emergency. The mortality rate among medically treated patients is 50% within two days. Surgery is the gold standard and urgent surgical treatment is indicated for all patients, except for those who are moribund or severely comorbid. However, early mortality after operation remains high (9–25%). We hereby present a case of 22 years young, male, Marfan patient with a family history of ATAAD treated successfully by us at Square Hospital Ltd by modified Bentall's procedure with total arch replacement with Frozen Elephant Trunk (FET) technique.
University Heart Journal 2022; 18(1): 65-70


The principal aim in the treatment of patients with high blood pressure is to ensure a maximum reduction in the total risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The renin-angiotensin system plays an important role in volume homeostasis and blood pressure regulation. The angiotensin receptor blockers control high blood pressure by preventing the binding of angiotensin II to the subtype 1 receptor, which is believed to mediate most of the physiologic actions of angiotensin II relevant to the regulation of blood pressure. Telmisartan is a widely used angiotensin receptor blocker with distinct pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties. Due to its long duration of action, it compares favorably with other angiotensin receptor blockers. Latest data from clinical trials and newest research regarding telmisartan will be reviewed in this article.


A robust image enlargement algorithm is presented in this paper. We formulate the image enlargement process as an edge information estimation process. In order to achieve a higher resolution, we first perform pixel duplication [W.K. Pratt, 1991] on the target image to form an initial high resolution image. Then the edge details of the enlarged image are estimated by using a novel neural network called "agent swarm regression network ASRN", which is trained by a set of low resolution (LR) / high resolution (HR) image patch pairs. Two benchmark images were used to verify the performance of the proposed algorithm. The results show that the enlarged images by the proposed algorithm are sharper than those by the conventional methods.


Four samples of YBCO doped with cobalt have been characterised using several techniques, including measurements of Tc, AC susceptibility, resistivity, magnetic susceptibility, and yttrium nuclear magnetic resonance (nmr). The last two techniques were applied over a temperature range of 200 K to 300 K, with the aim of elucidating the local or non-local character of the magnetic changes produced by the doping process. These changes occur almost exclusively on the CuI sites, and the appearance of a Curie term in the susceptibility is not due to the conventional cause of such a term i.e. a local moment.


Objective: Retention and resistance of the implant-tissue supported overdenture may be affected by the type of attachment. The aim of this research was to compare the retention and resistance of Nobel Biocare Ball (NBB), Nobel Biocare Bar and Clip (NBBC) and Sterngold ERA Red (ERAR) attachments on an implant-tissue supported overdenture model. Materials and Methods: The attachment samples were divided into 3 groups of NBB, NBBC, and ERAR (5 samples in each group). Two parallel Nobel Biocare Branemark implants were placed symmetrically at the symphysis region of a mandibular test model. A metallic overdenture was fabricated precisely adapted to the model and attached to a Zwick testing machine (crosshead speed of 51 mm/min). Dislodging tensile forces were applied in three vertical, oblique, anterior-posterior directions and two situations, at the beginning and after 100 times of insertion/removal of the overdenture, for each sample. The maximum dislodging force was measured. A One-way ANOVA test was employed followed by Tukey's test. Results: ERAR was the most retentive and resistant in both situations. NBB and NBBC showed the same anterior-posterior resistance at the beginning. All test groups represented a large amount of retention and resistance loss after the insertion/removal of the overdenture, while NBBC showed a higher loss of anterior-posterior resistance than NB. Conclusion: A highest level of retention and resistance was seen in ERAR. The retention and resistance were affected by the wear of attachments.


Abstract Objectives The purpose of this study was to examine, by sex, whether precarious workers in Japan receive less support in the workplace than permanent workers. Methods We conducted a cross‐sectional study using an online questionnaire in 2022. We stratified participants by sex and performed modified Poisson regression analysis. The outcomes were support from supervisors, co‐workers, occupational health professionals, and no one. Adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) were calculated for contract workers, part‐time workers, and dispatched workers, using permanent workers as reference. Results This study had 21 047 participants. For men, 87.9% were permanent workers; for women, 50.7% were permanent workers and 37.3% were part‐time workers. For workplace support, 47.5% of men and 45.2% of women selected superiors; 41.8% of men and 50.5% of women selected colleagues; 16.8% of men and 6.2% of women selected occupational health professionals. Female contract workers were less likely to receive support from their supervisors (aPR 0.88) or co‐workers (aPR 0.89). Male part‐time workers were less likely to be supported by their co‐workers (aPR 0.86). Dispatched workers were less likely to be supported by their supervisors (men aPR 0.71, women aPR 0.84) and co‐workers (men aPR 0.73, women aPR 0.77). Part‐time and dispatched workers were less likely to receive support from occupational health professionals. Conclusions Precarious workers could get less workplace support than permanent workers. This may contribute to occupational health problems with precarious workers.


The advantages of the transnasal approach to dacryocystorhinostomy over the external incision approach are numerous. The external incision, with dissection of the orbicularis muscle, medial canthal ligament, and other soft tissues, produces much more scarring and is more likely to interfere with the pump action of the orbicularis muscle on the canaliculi. Granulation tissue and scar stenosis are the causes of failure in both the external approach and transnasal surgery. In fact, if follow-up care by a nasal surgeon is not available with the external approach, the failure rate will be higher than with transnasal surgery. Patients who require dacryocystorhinostomy should be advised of the choice of procedures.


This study was carried out to investigate the distribution of V. parahaemolyticus in Incheon adjacent sea, and antimicrobial effect on growth of V. parahaemolyticus in organic acid. The detected strains were compared for geography, months and sample types. V. parahaemolyticus was detected form 28.5 percent of 287 samples collected from Incheon area, and 34.7 percent of 91 samples collected in the months of July through September, and 24.7 percent of 279 shellfish samples respectively. The minimun inhibitory concentration(MIC) of organic acid in V. parahaemolyticus were 1,250 ppm at propionic acid, citric acid and acetic acid, 2,500 ppm at vanillic acid, respectively. MICs of combined treatment of acetic acid and vanillic acid, citric acid and vanillic acid, propionic acid and vanillic acid were 1,250 ppm. MICs of combined treatment of citric acid and acetic acid, propionic acid and acetic acid, propionic acid and citric acid was 12.5 ppm. The antimicrobial effect of organic acid in V. parahaemolyticus was confirmed from the result of this experiment.


Abstract The aim of this paper is to correlate the release characteristics of marine and lake sediment with their vicinal oxic conditions. We performed lab-scale simulation experiments using field sediment and water in order to compare the release concentrations and the release rates one another. To provide a few different kinds of oxic environments we used natural air flow and some oxygen releasing compounds such as CaO 2 and MgO 2 . In case of phosphates, in each oxic condition, removal of phosphorus via biological activity and that via salt precipitation with the metal ions lowered the release rates. The behavior of the nitrogen-origin salts seemed to greatly depend on the typical biological actions - growth of biomass, nitrification, and partial denitrification. Generally speaking, the control of releases of NH 3 -N, PO 4 -P, T-N and T-P was successful under the oxic conditions meanwhile COD, nitrates and nitrites were difficult to reduce the releases into the bulk water because of the considerable microbial oxidation. Based on typical diffusive mass transfer kinetics the changes of concentrations of the nutrients were computed for qualitative and quantitative comparisons.


The purposes of this research are to estimate area of greenable roof and to monitor maintaining of green roofs using World-View 2 images. The contents of this research are development of World-View 2 application technologies for estimation of green roof area and development of monitoring and maintaining of green roofs using World-View 2 images. The available green roof areas in Gwangjin-gu Seoul, a case for this study, were estimated using digital maps and World-View 2 images. The available green roof area is approximately 12.17% (2,153,700m2) of the total area, and the roof vegetation accounts for 0.46% (80,660m2) of the total area. For verification of the extracted roof vegetation, Vworld 3D Desktop map service was applied. The study results may be used as a decision-making tool by the government and local governments in determining the feasibility of green roof projects. In addition, the project implementer may periodically monitor to see whether roof greening has maintained for efficient management of projects, and a vast amount of World-View 2 images may be regularly used before and after the projects to contribute to sharing of satellite images information.


Generally, medical Gamma Camera are based on the Anger principle. These cameras use a scintillator block coupled to a bulky array of photomultiplier tube (PMT). To simplify this, we designed a new integrated CMOS image sensor in order to replace bulky PMT photodetetors. We studied several photodiodes sensors including current mirror amplifiers. These photodiodes have been fabricated using a CMOS 0.6 micrometers process from Austria Mikro Systeme (AMS). Each sensor pixel in the array occupies respectively, 1mm x 1mm area, 0.5mm x 0.5mm area and 0.2mm 0.2mm area with fill factor 98 % and total chip area is 2 square millimeters. The sensor pixels show a logarithmic response in illumination and are capable of detecting very low green light emitting diode (less than 0.5 lux) . These results allow to use our sensor in new Gamma Camera solid-state concept.


Stereo matching in unstructured, outdoor environments is often confounded by the complexity of the scenery and thus may yield only sparse disparity maps. Two-dimensional visual imagery, on the other hand, offers dense information about the environment of mobile robots, but is often difficult to exploit. Training a supervised classifier to identify traversable regions within images that generalizes well across a large variety of environments requires a vast corpus of labeled examples. Autonomous learning of the traversable/untraversable distinction indicated by scene appearance is therefore a highly desirable goal of robot vision. We describe here a system for learning this distinction online without the involvement of a human supervisor. The system takes in imagery and range data from a pair of stereo cameras mounted on a small mobile robot and autonomously learns to produce a labeling of scenery. Supervision of the learning process is entirely through information gathered from range data. Two types of boosted weak learners, Nearest Means and naive Bayes, are trained on this autonomously labeled corpus. The resulting classified images provide dense information about the environment which can be used to fill-in regions where stereo cannot find matches or in lieu of stereo to direct robot navigation. This method has been tested across a large array of environment types and can produce very accurate labelings of scene imagery as judged by human experts and compared against purely geometric-based labelings. Because it is online and rapid, it eliminates some of the problems related to color constancy and dynamic environments.


This article discusses whether and how hard news stories represent the immediate reality. It suggests that random bits of hard information morph into episodic intrigues when audiences cognitively assemble a disorderly media flow of information into a chronological episode. Active audiences proceed this way, it is assumed, because the narrative frame (the plot construction) is a powerful cognitive device which people naturally use to organize diffuse and confused social reality. Five preliminary hypotheses on how random hard information turns into subjective coherent intrigues are presented. The paper concludes that hard news configures unstable intrigue matrixes rather than neat narratives. Those matrixes seem to be exploratory foresights about the chaotic reality rather than tangible imaginary stories, however.


ABSTRACT Aim: To analyze the incidence, microbiological profile, risk factors, and outcomes in eyes with osteo-odonto keratoprosthesis (OOKP) developing endophthalmitis. Methods & material: Retrospective review of medical records of patients presenting between 2003 and 2013 with OOKP and endophthalmitis was undertaken after obtaining IRB approval. Patient demographics, clinical features, microbiological evaluation, treatment details, and outcomes were analyzed. Results: Of 92 eyes with OOKP, 8 (9%) had endophthalmitis. Indications for OOKP included Steven–Johnson syndrome (SJS; n = 6; 75%) and chemical injuries (n = 2; 25%). The mean duration from OOKP surgery to endophthalmitis was 49.4 ± 32.3 months. Seven of eight eyes had associated laminar resorption. Endophthalmitis resolved with conservative management in three eyes. Lamina removal was required in three eyes; one eye underwent evisceration. At presentation, mean BCVA was 2.76 ± 0.24 logMAR that improved to 2.48 ± 1.0 logMAR after intervention. Mean follow-up was 12.6 ± 13.2 months. Conclusion: Endophthalmitis portends a grave prognosis for eyes with OOKP. The most important risk factors are SJS (75%) and lamina resorption (88%).


Background: Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans are relatively rare in our environment. Detailed studies on the subject in homogenous black African population are rare in literature. The aim of the study was to retrospectively analyze the clinical and histopathologic features of the tumor and identify the factors that directly influence recurrence, outcome and prognosis in the setting of a developing country with limited resources. Materials and Methods: All cases of Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans histopathologically diagnosed and available from the files and records of Department of Pathology, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria between January 1989 and December 2007 were identified, reviewed and included in the study. The detailed clinical parameters like age at presentation, gender, size and site of tumor, stage at presentation, treatment modalities, recurrence and follow up details; also details of histopathologic features like mitotic count and presence of tumor at the resection margins were analyzed. Results: A total of 58 cases were identified and are presented. All the patients were Nigerians. Patient9s age ranged from 5-74 years (median, 35years) with a modal age group of 30-39 years. The male/ female ratio had a male preponderance of 2.2:1. Tumor site distribution was trunk (39.5%), lower limb (27%), Upper limb (21%) and head and neck (12.5%). Tumor size ranged from 1.5 to 21cm. Seventy four percent presented with pT2 (TNM) stage tumor. Size of tumor larger than 7cm, mitotic count of greater than 7 per 10hpf and involvement of the subcutaneous tissue were strong indicators of the likelihood of recurrence. Forty five percent of our patients had recurrence with a patient having eight recurrences. The cost implications significantly delayed adjuvant therapy after surgical resection in our patients. This is because the cost of management is borne directly by patients in our environment. About 50% of our patients especially those with pT1 stage tumors were lost to follow up in less than 6 months. Two of our patients had features with fibrosarcoma-like transformation. Conclusion: The trunk and the lower limb accounted for 66.5% of location of tumor. The follow up data was poor in patients with small sized tumors. Large tumor size and high mitotic count increased the rate of recurrence. The cost implication of care, which is directly borne by patients due to out-of pocket payment lead to poor follow up and outcome. Note: This abstract was not presented at the AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010 because the presenter was unable to attend. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 871.


This book is a collection of chapters from different authors on the state of the art in transistor model parameter extraction. It tackles the real gnarly problems such as thermal effects, parameter dispersion from traps and heating, how to cope with large transistors, and how to practically compute process variations. Includes a discussion of both bipolar and field effect transistors (FETs). Also contains chapters on the basics of extrinsic parameters, noise, and uncertainty. Contains ten chapters and, given all the ground it covers, is a relatively compact 366 pages.


The relationship between customer satisfaction, customer loyalty and their antecedents, service output quality, quality of staff, corporate image, and price perception, is examined in the context of three service industries: use of the highway infrastructure, mobile telephone services, and hairdressing services. The research model was empirically evaluated for a large sample of respondents from a Central European country, using structural equation modelling. The results indicate that the four antecedents affect customer loyalty, and customer satisfaction acts as a mediator in all three service industries. However, the strength of the relationship between the constructs varies markedly across the industries, implying that competitive environment importantly determines the elements of service offering that lead to satisfaction and loyalty in a particular industry. The research findings contribute to a better understanding of which behavioural mechanisms and factors are a viable basis for increasing customer retention in a specific market structure. Managerial implications are discussed, and policy recommendations are offered.


Minimal inhibitory concentration determinations and disk diffusion and Autobac 1 susceptibility tests were performed on 22 strains of Aeromonas hydrophila. Eleven of the strains had discrepancies between Autobac and disk diffusion or minimal inhibitory concentration results. These discrepancies occurred with the beta-lactam antibiotics, primarily carbenicillin and cephalothin. It is recommended that any strain of A. hydrophila found to be susceptible to any of the beta-lactam antibiotics by using Autobac 1 should be retested by a disk diffusion or minimal inhibitory concentration method.


The following article comments on contents and organisation of the 22nd Conference of the African Studies Association in Germany (Vereinigung für Afrikawissenschaften in Deutschland, VAD e.V.), which took place from 30 May until 2 June 2012 at the University of Cologne, Germany. Thirty-seven panels and five round tables organised around four thematic foci (land rights, resource management, models of governance, media) served as a platform for discussions on developments on the African continent. A complex framework programme dealing with similar topics was open to the public and provided insight into recent research projects and their results.


Purpose: to evaluate the clinical results of trifocal intraocular lenses implantation with different optical characteristics; optimization of preparation stages and intraocular correction of presbyopia. Patients and Methods. Phacoemulsification with binocular implantation of trifocal intraocular lenses (IOL) was performed in 35 patients with cataract and presbyopia. IOL AcrySof® IQ PanOptix® was implanted in 32 eyes, AT LISAtri839MP — 38 eyes. Preoperative evaluation included standard examination with surgeon's consultation and clarification of patients' lifestyle and vision motivations at all distances. Postoperative evaluation included measurement of refraction, visual acuity at three distances, quality and visual acuity under mesopic conditions. Proposed to use the test questionnaire, visual acuity testing tables at intermediate distances, nomograms for IOLs power calculation developed by the authors. Results. Postoperative spherical refraction was 0.17 ± 0.23D, which did not exceed 0.5D deviation from the target refraction. Uncorrected distance visual acuity ≤ 0.5 reached in 100 % of patients on the first day after surgery. Visual acuity ≤ 0.5 at intermediate distance was achieved in 34 eyes (89.5 %) of patients with implanted IOL AT LISAtri, and the same results has been recorded for near in 33 eyes (86.8 %). On the next day after surgery in the PanOptix® group, all patients monocular gave ≤ 0.6 for intermediate and near, and 96.9 % of eyes ≤ 0.5 for far. All patients from both groups (PanOptix® or LISAtri) after 6 months binocular showed visual acuity ≤ 0.8 for far, near or intermediate distances, no patient noted a need to use any spectacle correction and did not notice significant visual impairment in mesopic conditions. Conclusion. Implantation of Trifocal IOLs AcrySof® IQ PanOptix® and AT LISAtri 839MP allows patients spectacle independence and high-quality of vision in mesopic conditions. An individual approach to each patient, concomitant ophthalmopathology, general status, life style, primary refraction and precise IOLs power calculation, allows the surgeon widely to apply this technology for presbyopia intraocular correction.


The plane wave scattering and absorption by an infinite flat graphene strip grating are studied in the THz range in the H and E-polarization regimes. Accurate numerical treatment is based on the dual series equations and the analytical regularization technique. The resulting numerical algorithm possesses guaranteed convergence and controlled accuracy of computations. Reflectance, transmittance, and absorbance by the graphene-strip gratings are studied as a function of various parameters. In the H-polarization case, the dominant feature is the excitation of the surface plasmon resonances on each strip. In the E-polarization case, Rayleigh anomalies are the only observable features.


Although it is well understood to be a generally undecidable problem, a number of attempts have been made over the years to develop systems to automatically generate test data. These approaches have ranged from early attempts at symbolic execution to more recent approaches based on, for example, dynamic data flow analysis or constraint satisfaction. Despite their variety (and varying degrees of success), all the systems developed have involved a detailed analysis of the program or system under test and have encountered problems (such as handling of procedure calls, efficiently finding solutions to systems of predicates and dealing with problems of scale) which have hindered their progress from research prototype to commercial tool. The approach described in this paper uses the ideas of Genetic Algorithms (GAs) to automatically develop a set of test data to achieve a level of coverage (branch coverage in this case). Using GAs neatly sidesteps many of the problems encountered by other systems in attempting to automatically generate test data.


ABSTRACT Introduction: Onychomycosis is an infection of the nail plate that is prevalent among the ageing population. Onychomycosis is difficult to treat with low initial cure rates, high rates of relapse, and reinfection. Present treatment options include oral and topical therapies, with oral therapies yielding better results. However, there has been a greater emphasis on the development of topical antifungal therapies as they have fewer side effects and drug interactions. Areas Covered: This review summarizes new and reformulated drugs. Results from in vitro studies to Phase III clinical trials are discussed. Novel drugs include: the oral azole VT-1161, the topical azole efinaconazole, the benzoxaborole tavaborole, reformulations of terbinafine P-3058 and LI-P, novel inhibitor of succinate dehydrogenase ME1111, and off-label use of tazarotene. Enhanced permeation of the morpholine amorolfine through the nail plate is also discussed using ultraviolet (UV) curable gels, and a fractional CO2 laser. Expert opinion: Novel topical antifungals and the reformulation of current antifungals have demonstrated marked improvement in nail penetration. Current research has an emphasis on topical therapies due to their minimized risk for adverse effects and higher patient demand. Nevertheless, few topical agents have surfaced in the past few years and the investigation of efficacious combination therapies may become more important.


The pharmacokinetics of FK027, a new oral cephalosporin, were investigated in rats and dogs and compared with those of cefaclor, cephalexin and amoxicillin. Upon oral administration to either rats or dogs, FK027 produced higher and more sustained serum levels than the reference drugs, hence a longer half-life. After both oral and intravenous administration, the half-life of FK027 in dogs was approximately three fold that in rats. Although the concentrations of FK027 in rat kidney, liver and spleen were lower than those of cephalexin and amoxicillin, they were sustained similarly to the serum levels. The 24-hour urinary and biliary recovery rates of FK027 in rats after oral dosing with 100 mg/kg were 34.1 and 21.9%, respectively. The urinary excretion of FK027 was significantly lower than that of the reference drugs, however, the biliary excretion was higher. In dogs, 23.4 and 0.2% of the given dose of 40 mg/kg of FK027 was excreted in the 24-hour urine and bile, respectively. Bioavailability of FK027 after oral dosing was 38% in rats and 47% in dogs, as calculated from intravenous data. Binding of FK027 to serum protein in all species was the highest of the test drugs: 63% for human, 93% for dog, 61% for rat serum.


One important aspect of computational systems biology includes the identification and analysis of functional response networks within large biochemical networks. These functional response networks represent the response of a biological system under a particular experimental condition which can be used to pinpoint critical biological processes.For this purpose, we have developed a novel algorithm to calculate response networks as scored/weighted sub-graphs spanned by k-shortest simple (loop free) paths. The k-shortest simple path algorithm is based on a forward/backward chaining approach synchronized between pairs of processors. The algorithm scales linear with the number of processors used. The algorithm implementation is using a Linux cluster platform, MPI lam and mpiJava messaging as well as the Java language for the application.The algorithm is performed on a hybrid human network consisting of 45,041 nodes and 438,567 interactions together with gene expression information obtained from human cell-lines infected by influenza virus. Its response networks show the early innate immune response and virus triggered processes within human epithelial cells. Especially under the imminent threat of a pandemic caused by novel influenza strains, such as the current H1N1 strain, these analyses are crucial for a comprehensive understanding of molecular processes during early phases of infection. Such a systems level understanding may aid in the identification of therapeutic markers and in drug development for diagnosis and finally prevention of a potentially dangerous disease.


The present study tested the hypothesis that acute posttraumatic hyperarousal would lead to the development of emotional numbing (EN) symptoms in a pediatric injury population. Eighty-two youths aged 8-18 years were recruited from the emergency department of a Midwestern children's hospital. Heart rate was recorded from emergency medical services reports and a 12-hour urine collection was initiated upon admission. Six weeks and 6 months later, depression and PTSD symptoms were assessed. Initial heart rate and urinary cortisol levels predicted 6-week and 6-month EN after controlling for concurrent depression, avoidance, and reexperiencing symptoms and 6-week hyperarousal symptoms. These findings provide empirical support for prior hypotheses concerning the development of PTSD symptoms over time.


Laser-induced breakdown of a transparent micrometer sized H/sub 2/O droplet can be initiated only in the Ar gas in a strip outside the droplet shadow face. At a higher-input 0.532-micrometer Q-switched laser intensity, breakdown can also occur within the droplet. The resultant internal plasma blocks the laser from reaching the region outside the shadow face and absorbs more of the laser pulse to produce a shock wave and/or a laser-supported detonation wave. Various combinations of liquid and surrounding gas were investigated at different input intensities in order to provide information on the breakdown processes in a transparent droplet.


We have studied the self-assembly of amphiphiles over wide ranges of temperature and concentration using Monte Carlo simulation of a lattice model introduced by Care. A new feature that we have observed is that for all the concentrations studied, the specific heat exhibits a peak as a function of temperature. The physical origin of this peak can be traced back to energy fluctuations occurring at the onset of micelle formations and can be used to characterize the critical micelle concentration (CMC). Our observations (i) that the temperature dependence of the specific heat fits rather well with the Schottky-type specific heat of a degenerate two-level system and (ii) that there is the simultaneous appearance of a knee in the cluster distribution function (CDF) explain the underlying physics of identifying the CMC with the appearance of this knee in the CDF, as proposed by Nagarajan and Ruckenstein. We show that the various moments of the cluster distribution functions can be expressed solely in terms of the second moment as predicted by a mean-field theory of Blankschtein, Thurston, and Benedek. We also calculate the fluctuation in the amphiphilic aggregate sizes and relate our simulation results to those from a simple but exactly soluble model proposed by Israelachvili.


The results of complex geophysical observations conducted at the Bishkek geodynamic test site, the Tien Shan, are presented. The seismic network KNET operating at the test site enables the recording of earthquake with the minimum energetic class K=7 and determining their focal mechanisms. The observations of deformations of the Earth's crust were carried out for many years at the Tien-Shan territory and adjacent regions using the methods of satellite geodesy. The weekly measurements were organized at three sites with linear sizes up to 3 km in 2012; their first results are discussed. The special attention is drawn to strain recording in the fault zones, which allows the estimation of variations observed in tectonic stresses. Variations in several parameters: distances between different observation points, surface strains using GPS data, and electrical resistivity at various depths were studied and compared with the seismicity and focal mechanisms of earthquakes. The analysis of the data provided the possibility to estimate the geodynamic situation during the local earthquake of 12.02.2013, energetic class K=10. The depression of the Bishkek geodynamic test site at ∼20 mm was revealed several days before the earthquake. The width of the nearby tectonic fault increased up to 8 mm, which corresponds to the variation in effective tectonic stress by about 7 MPa. It is concluded that the changes in geodynamic conditions contribute to the occurrence of the local earthquake.


To determine the role that an increased caudal slope of the tibia might have on the incidence of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, tibial slope was measured in 49 patients (50 knees), with noncontact ACL injury mechanisms (group 1) and an age-matched group of 39 patients (50 knees) with a diagnosis of patellofemoral pain syndrome (group 2). No significant difference was noted in mean posterior slope between the two groups (group 1: 9.7+/-1.8 degrees and group II: 9.9+/-2.1 degrees) or after controlling for bilateral patients in two separate trials. These results indicate that increased caudal tibial slope does not appear to be a risk factor in the creation of noncontact injuries to the ACL.


This paper focuses on the English conceptual duplex house/home, its conceptual properties and means of linguistic representation; and examines the contribution of the data of its multimodal discourse actualization to the cognitive linguistics framework. In cognitive semantics, house/home proves to be a conceptual duplex constituted by various meanings of the polysemantic nouns house and home, and elaborated by the meanings of their synonyms. Within a conceptual network, their common meanings are arranged according to the domains where they are profiled: human location / dwelling, family. The study of their salience in speech (in literary texts) considers their contextual elaborations, and establishes groups of lexical-semantic variants which are finally blended together within a conceptual model of house/home. This model is a unity of an integral and two differential parts. The integral part is constituted by the meanings: "building where a person lives (with his family)", "dwelling place", family life", "family" shared by the lexemes house (n) and home (n). The differential parts of the model are formed by the meanings which are specific for each polysemantic lexeme. To analyse the house/home actualization in discourse the study adopts a broad perspective on multimodality. It relies on the interaction of verbal and graphic codes and reveals that these semiotic systems are non-isomorphic in representing various meanings of the concept duplex.


Primary resection for lung cancer was performed in 711 patients. Extensive surgery was performed in 99 T3 lung cancer (13.7%). Overall 5-year survival rate was 31.7%. Overall hospital mortality was 7.5%. Mean 5-year survival was 34.9% for patients with complete resection, 0% for patients with incomplete resection (p < 0.05). In patients with complete resection, mean 5-year survival was greater in patients with N0 (39.1%) than in patients with N1 (23.5%) or N2 (27.7%), but there was no statistically significant difference. There was also no statistically significant difference between adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. Mean 5-year survival rate for patients with invasion of chest wall was 34.1%, with invasion of mediastinal pleura was 37.5%, with invasion of main bronchus was 58.3%, with interlobular invasion was 18.7%. Complete resection of T3 lung cancer may yield long time survival.


The significant point is the bidirectional interaction technique in FSI analysis while investigating subsea corrosion effect. By this way, pipe environment is accurately modelled and fluid effects are also considered. The effect of external corrosion defects on structural behaviour of a pipeline is studied by creating a nonlinear numerical model based on the finite element method according to ABAQUS analysis program. Corrosion losses of sections are obtained from experimental results and applied to the model. Numerical model is formed by a span of sub-sea pipeline that is subjected to environmental loads. Seismic and wind-generated irregular wave loads are considered as environmental loads. Irregular wave is represented with equivalent eight regular waves via FFT. The pipe is modelled according to two different types which are non-corroded(intact) and corroded (deteriorated) to demonstrate corrosion effects on it. The visible type of corrosion in marine environment is named 'pitting' corrosion, in which the material loss is locally interpenetrated over the surface. By considering this situation, the corroded and non-corroded pipes are modelled as 3D solid elements. The main point is revealing how the subsea corrosion affects the structural behaviour of pipelines on the basis of implementation of experimental results to a model structure due to changes of stresses and displacement.


In this paper, we investigate techniques for measuring the trade policy equivalent of domestic distortions, using a distance function approach. Our measure, the Trade Restrictiveness Index, is shown to equal the uniform tariff which is welfare-equivalent to a given pattern of domestic taxes and subsidies. We extend the Index to incorporate taxes in markets for non-traded goods and factors of production and illustrates its operationality with an application to liberalisation in Mexican agriculture. We conclude that our Index has considerable potential in empirical work and as an aid to trade negotiations.


It is proved that the class of separable Rosenthal compacta on the Cantor set having a uniformly bounded dense sequence of continuous functions is strongly bounded.


Analytical philosophy opens new perspectives of studies in the history of philosophy. There are (1) generalized history of analytical interpretations of Cartesian principle cogito ergo sum and (2) analysis of Cartesianism through the prism of contemporary philosophy of action, with special attention to performativity of the mentioned principle. The importance of such research necessarily goes beyond "pure" history of philosophy: it also contributes to revision of traditional approaches to justification of knowledge (foundationalism, coherentism, reliabilism), which still remain problematic. Attention to performativism of cogito ergo sum thesis is the key to new convenient interpretation of knowledge justification problem, because it allows for justification as self-justification in terms of accomplishment. Inevitable accomplishment, peculiar to evidfently performative knowledge (example of which is cogito ergo sum, a very good contender for the role of a sure foundation), suggests that fundamentalist strategy of knowledge justification, in the perspective of philosophy of action, amounts to a preferable interpretation compared to traditional epistemological approach.


The financial crisis has raised some questions regarding monetary policy and how it should be conducted in relation to financial conditions such as credit growth, asset prices, imbalances, the risk of creating bubbles and so on. I will discuss two particular questions: Has monetary policy contributed to the conditions for the crisis? Do the lessons from the crisis justify any changes in the way best-practice monetary policy should be conducted?


The synthesis of some macrocyclic compounds based on 1,8-naphthyridine and 1,10-phenanthroline with rings containing four and five oxygen atoms is reported. These compounds were tested for cation selectivity in poly(vinyl chloride)-based potentiometric sensors. Nernstian esponse was observed towards the potassium ion but with low discrimination for potassium in the presence of other cations. Dimethyl 4-octyloxy-1,10-phenanthroline-2,9-dicarboxylate, a precursor to one of the macrocyclic series, showed a high preference for divalent cations such as Zn2+, Ba2+, Cu2+ and Co2+. .


In this paper, we propose a new survivor memory management method called the trace-delete method (TDM). Hardware (H/W) realization of the proposed algorithm for VLSI implementation is considered. Comparison of the TDM with the trace-back method (TBM) is also provided in terms of latency, the number of memory elements, and the requirements of control logic. The main advantages of the proposed method are short latency and less requirements on additional control logic. The performance is also evaluated when the method is applied to the Grand Alliance HDTV system.


Word frequency is a strong predictor in most lexical processing tasks. Thus, any model of word recognition needs to account for how word frequency effects arise. The Discriminative Lexicon Model (DLM; Baayen et al., 2018a, 2019) models lexical processing with linear mappings between words' forms and their meanings. So far, the mappings can either be obtained incrementally via error-driven learning, a computationally expensive process able to capture frequency effects, or in an efficient, but frequency-agnostic closed-form solution modelling the theoretical endstate of learning (EL) where all words are learned optimally. In this study we show how an efficient, yet frequency-informed mapping between form and meaning can be obtained (Frequency-informed learning; FIL). We find that FIL well approximates an incremental solution while being computationally much cheaper. FIL shows a relatively low type- and high token-accuracy, demonstrating that the model is able to process most word tokens encountered by speakers in daily life correctly. We use FIL to model reaction times in the Dutch Lexicon Project (Keuleers et al., 2010) and find that FIL predicts well the S-shaped relationship between frequency and the mean of reaction times but underestimates the variance of reaction times for low frequency words. FIL is also better able to account for priming effects in an auditory lexical decision task in Mandarin Chinese (Lee, 2007), compared to EL. Finally, we used ordered data from CHILDES (Brown, 1973; Demuth et al., 2006) to compare mappings obtained with FIL and incremental learning. The mappings are highly correlated, but with FIL some nuances based on word ordering effects are lost. Our results show how frequency effects in a learning model can be simulated efficiently by means of a closed-form solution, and raise questions about how to best account for low-frequency words in cognitive models.


For any organization aiming to achieve sustainable quality culture of operational excellence, it is important to ensure that a proper foundation for a company-wide quality (CWQ) culture exits. This foundation is a comprehensive company-wide management system (CWMS) which can serve as an infrastructure for improving and controlling the different operation systems of any organization. The CWMS mainly draws on five MSs, strategic management, initiative management, daily management, process management and performance management. It ensures the proper alignment of all people and processes, the optimization of resources and sustainability of high performance. For any organization to succeed in meeting high-quality standards, the existence of quality culture is essential and this requires time and commitment. One key enabler of that is the CWMS and Lean Six Sigma (LSS) Methodology. This paper will explain how their proper implementation will sustain the quality culture and enable it to spread and take over. This paper follows a theoretical review of literature combined with the authors' own experience to discuss CWMS, sustainable quality culture and the LSS culture-related aspects.


Infections of the gastrointestinal nematode, Nippostrongylus brasiliensis, in the laboratory rat result in a characteristic biphasic anorexia which is followed by hyperphagia once the worm burden has been cleared. Despite the importance of parasite‐induced anorexia, relatively little is known of the underlying mechanisms. We have investigated the involvement of the central appetite drive in this anorexia by studying the gene expression of two neuropeptides with opposing actions on energy balance, NPY and CRF. Gene expression was assessed by in situ hybridization at 2, 8 and 16 days post‐infection (p.i.) in infected rats, in uninfected controls, and in a group with food intake restricted to match that taken voluntarily by the parasitized animals. The sampling intervals corresponded to each of the two phases of maximum anorexia and the period of compensatory hyperphagia. Surprisingly, we found that increases in NPY gene expression in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (ARC) accompany anorexia in rats infected with N. brasiliensis; there was a significant relationship between degree of anorexia and induction of NPY mRNA after 8 days of infection. Furthermore, ARC NPY mRNA levels in parasitized animals were similar to those in pair‐fed individuals with food intake restricted to match the infected rats. The number of larvae used to establish the infection affected both the degree of anorexia and the level of NPY mRNA at 8 days p.i. in a dose‐dependent manner. NPY gene expression remained elevated in infected rats during at least the initial stages of compensatory hyperphagia. This suggests that animals detect a state of energy deficit during the early stages of the infection, yet do not feed, but become hyperphagic coincident with worm loss. The failure of anorectic parasitized animals to feed in response to activation of the NPYergic system makes this a novel system in which to study the regulation of hypothalamic NPY by physiological challenge. There were no significant differences in CRF gene expression between the groups at any of the sampling intervals.


Rats were treated with rabbit anti-rat lymphocyte serum (ALS). The subsequent selective immunosuppressive effect on the immune response of thymus dependent antigen was shown by immunization with sheep red blood cells (SRBC). Endotoxin tolerance could be evoked in ALS treated animals. This suggests that the establishment of endotoxin tolerance is independent of thymus function and makes it possible to enhance the nonspecific resistance of immunosuppressed patients with a transplanted organ.


According to current art, high-lift devices such as leading-edge slats are essential during the takeoff and landing stages of large transport planes. Because of complexity of the mechanical positioning mechanism and of the specific geometry, there are regions on the main wing that are significantly affected by the slat edge and associated (though not resolved in this study) tip vortices. Under adverse conditions, the vortices degrade the exposed region of the wing performance, which results in lower lift and higher drag. In this experimental study, an airfoil with leading-edge slat was tested for performance enhancement of a thick airfoil section with and without operating active flow control system positioned at the 20% chord location. It was found that the slat improved the overall performance and that the active flow control alone can deliver similar performance gains as the slat for this type of wing section with achievable low actuator control input. Part-span slat configurations, covering 31.8 and 7...


ASTRONOMYNearly a year ago, an astronomer issued a serious challenge to the case for an extrasolar planet--the first to be discovered around a sunlike star. He presented evidence that slow jitters in the spectrum of the parent star, thought to result from a planet's periodic tug, were actually due to a pulsation of the star's gases. Now the astronomer and at least three other groups say they have been unable to reproduce his earlier results. What looked like a planet killer may have been just a chance alignment of noisy data points.


The influence of aortic regurgitation on the Doppler assessment of pressure half-time (T1/2) and on the derived calculation of the mitral-valve area has not yet been adequately evaluated in patients with mitral stenosis and associated aortic regurgitation. Therefore this study was undertaken to verify the accuracy of the T1/2 method for the noninvasive estimation of mitral-valve area in patients with mitral stenosis and associated aortic regurgitation. Data were obtained from 31 selected patients who underwent cardiac catheterization within 24 h of the noninvasive examination. From the Doppler velocity curve, T1/2 was calculated as the interval between the peak transmitral velocity and velocity/ square root of 2. Mitral-valve area was measured from the T1/2 with a computerized system using the equation: 220/T1/2, in cm2. Calculation of the mitral-valve area at catheterization was derived applying the modified Gorlin formula. Mean mitral-valve area, as determined at catheterization, ranged from 0.5 to 2.8 cm2 (1.3 +/- 0.6). Mean mitral-valve area, as calculated by continuous-wave Doppler, ranged from 0.7 to 2.7 cm2 (1.5 +/- 0.6). Linear-regression analysis of data revealed a good correlation between Gorlin and Doppler measurements of the mitral-valve area (r = 0.90, SEE = 0.28 cm2, P less than 0.001, y = 1.0x + 0.2). Doppler showed a systematic overestimate of the mitral-valve area (26%) in patients with mitral stenosis and aortic regurgitation as compared to the Gorlin formula. The overestimate of continuous-wave Doppler was even greater (39%) in a subgroup of patients with 2+ or 3+ angiographic aortic regurgitation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


Model intercomparison projects are a unique and highly specialized form of data—intensive collaboration in the earth sciences. Typically, a set of pre‐determined boundary conditions (scenarios) are agreed upon by a community of model developers that then test and simulate each of those scenarios with individual 'runs' of a climate model. Because both the human expertise, and the computational power needed to produce an intercomparison project are exceptionally expensive, the data they produce are often archived for the broader climate science community to use in future research. Outside of high energy physics and astronomy sky surveys, climate modeling intercomparisons are one of the largest and most rapid methods of producing data in the natural sciences (Overpeck et al., 2010). But, like any collaborative eScience project, the discovery and broad accessibility of this data is dependent on classifications and categorizations in the form of structured metadata—namely the Climate and Forecast (CF) metadata standard, which provides a controlled vocabulary to normalize the naming of a dataset's variables. Intriguingly, the CF standard's original publication notes, "…conventions have been developed only for things we know we need. Instead of trying to foresee the future, we have added features as required and will continue to do this" (Gregory, 2003). Yet, qualitatively we've observed that  this is not the case; although the time period of intercomparison projects remains stable (2-3 years), the scale and complexity of models and their output continue to grow—and thus, data creation and variable names consistently outpace the ratification of CF.


The global competition in innovation has significantly intensified over the past decades. New large countries like China, India, Brazil and Russia are challenging the traditional incum-bents like the US, Europe and Japan in this area. By accelerating the integration of the previ-ously predominant national innovation systems towards a European Innovation Union the European Commission is aiming to make significant progress as part of the 2020 strategy. By creating regional innovation clusters, by further international enhancing respective networks with other global innovation centres globally and further specialization of regional innova-tion locations the available capacities in Europe should better utilized and further strength-ened. As a part of the 7th EU-Framework Program the project "Intangible Assets and Re-gional Growth" has made significant contributions through academic research. In particular the creation of innovative milieus in regional innovation systems and the attraction and fur-ther qualification of human capital are key drivers for the success of such locations.


Background. Deep and versatile disorders in case of acute diseases can lead to severe metabolic disorders that are life-threatening and require immediate care. Such conditions include carbohydrate metabolism disorders (CMD): ketoacidosis, non-diabetic ketoacidosis, ketoacidotic and hyperosmolar coma, hypoglycemic syndrome, hypoglycemic and lactic acid coma.
Objective. To describe the possibilities of CMD correction.
Materials and methods. Analysis of literature sources on this topic; own study involving 126 patients with CMD. Patients were prescribed classic and balanced crystalloids (1200-1400 ml per day), in case of ketoacidosis – Xylate (6-8 ml/kg/day), in case of hyperosmolar conditions – Volutenz (400-600 ml per day).
Results and discussion. Necessary laboratory tests in CMD include the assessment of glycemia, potassium, sodium, urea, creatinine, acid-base status, ketonemia, ketonuria; clinical blood test; blood culture and antibiotic sensitivity determination (according to the indications). It should be noted that the level of glycemia in diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) can vary from a slight increase to a severe hyperglycemia. In case of the clinical picture of advanced ketoacidosis the semiquantitative analysis can reveal 3-4 pluses of ketonuria. However, the nitroprusside method allows to determine acetoacetic acid only, whereas the severe DKA is characterized by the more pronounced increase in the content of β-oxybutyric acid. It may create the preconditions for the underdiagnosis of ketoacidosis. Due to certain features of the analysis, ketosis is usually diagnosed in a decompensated state. Therefore, first of all, it is necessary to be rely by a clinical condition of the patient. Infusion therapy (IT) for DKA involves the use of 0.9 % NaCl solution or Ringer's solution. If the patient has hypernatremia, 0.45 % NaCl solution is administered. During the first 30-60 minutes of treatment one should administered 1 liter of these solutions. Subsequently, the infusion is continued at a rate of 4-14 ml/kg/h until the glucose level reaches <12 mmol/L, then the infusion should be continued with 5 % glucose solution. IT must be performed with caution in elderly patients and people with heart failure. In addition to IT, insulin therapy (0.1 U/kg/h) is prescribed for DKA, followed by dose adjustment to ensure a decrease in blood glucose concentration at a rate of 2-3 mmol/L. Acidosis is corrected by IT and insulin therapy. Treatment of severe acidosis (pH <7.0) with bicarbonate requires dose adjustment under acid-base control. Xylitol (Xylate, "Yuria-Pharm") is the main antiketogenic solution. It enters the pentose phosphate metabolism, increases the intensity of glycolysis, enhances glycogen production in the liver and stimulates insulin secretion. On the background of Xylate use, the content of β-oxybutyrate in the urine is halved in 5 hours, and the level of acetone – decreases in 2.5 times in 2 hours. Xylate reduces lactate levels and normalizes tissue perfusion. The unique effects of Xylate include pronounced antiketogenic effect, correction of metabolic acidosis, role as a non-insulin-independent energy source, correction of water-electrolyte balance, and hydration. Evaluation of the effectiveness of therapy in patients with DKA should include regular monitoring of neurological status. If deterioration is observed, cerebral edema, stroke, infectious diseases of the central nervous system, traumatic brain injury, hyperosmolar condition should be excluded. In the latter case, it is advisable to enter a hypotonic solution of 0.45 % NaCl. Because the use of such solutions is associated with a risk of cerebral edema, most recommendations prefer isotonic solutions.
In the own study, the described above IT scheme helped to reduce the total volume of infusions, increase diuresis, improve consciousness on the 3rd day of treatment, and reduce the length of stay in the intensive care unit.
Conclusions. 1. Many patients develop CMD, which worsen the course and prognosis of the underlying disease. 2. The use of IT should be started at the first signs of DKA. 3. Modern antiketogenic agent Xylate affects the pathogenesis of CMD and has an additional energy effect.


In part I it has been shown that the ring closure of certain diphenylyl propionic acids does not lead to dibenzocycloheptadienone derivatives. These cyclisation products are indanone derivatives. In part II the expansion of the central ring of several 9- and 10- methylphenanthrenes to dibenzocyclo-heptatrienone derivatives has been examined. Ring expansion can be achieved in three stages viz. (1) formation of a 9:10-diol (2) cleavage of the diol to a keto-aldehyde which is (3) cyclised to give the required type of product. Optimum conditions for the cyclisation stage have been found. When 2:3:4:7-tetramethoxy-9-methylphenanthrene was submitted to the above process 9:12:13:14-tetramethoxy-3:4-5:6-dibenzocyclohepta-3:5:7-trien-2-one was formed. Hydrogenation of the latter afforded 9:12:13:14-tetramethoxy-3:4-5:6-dibenzocyclohepta-3:5-dien-2-one. The oxime of the last named compound was hydrogenated to give (+)-2-amino-9:12:13:14-tetramethoxy-3:4-5:6-dibenzocyclohepta-3:5-diene (I) which was resolved by means of (+)-6:6'-dinitro-diphenic acid. The resulting laevorotatory form of (I) was shown to be identical with (-)-colchinol methyl ether obtained by degradation of colchicine. The structure of the last named product is thereby firmly established. In part III (+)-2-hydroxy-9:12:13:14-tetramethoxy- 3:4-5:6-dibenzocyclohepta-3:5-diene is described. It has been shown to be structurally distinct from the (-)-carbinol formed by the action of nitrous acid on colchinol methyl ether. The latter reaction involves a Demjanow rearrangement, accompanied by some racemisation, affording (-)- and (+)-9:10-dihydro-9-hydroxymethyl-2:3:4:7-tetramethoxyphenanthrene. The (+)- form of the latter has been synthesised and converted, by dehydration, to 9:12:13:14-tetramethoxy-3:4-5:6-dibenzocyclohepta-1:3:5-triene. The dihydro derivative of the latter proved identical with dihydrodeaminocolchinol methyl ether. By the action of nitrous acid (+)-9:10-dihydro-9-aminomethyl-2:3:4:7-tetramethoxyphenanthrene has been converted to deaminocolchinol methyl ether. In part IV a total synthesis of colchicine has been envisaged but the initial step viz. the hydrogenation of ring C of N-acetylcolchinol or its methyl ether, has not been realised.


The proposed use of lasers to accelerate particles to ultrahigh energies has been motivated by the very high electric fields associated with focused laser beams. A number of conceptually different schemes have been proposed for this purpose and are under very active investigation. In the last couple of years significant results have been obtained on four of these schemes: the inverse-Cherenkov accelerator,' the inverse-free-electron laser accelerator,2 the laser-plasma beat-wave accelerator? and the self-modulated laser wakefield a~celerator.~ Of these, the first two are an example of what is known as far-field accelerators, that is, the acceleration of charges takes place far away from any solid surfaces. On the other hand, the latter two are an example of acceleration by a space charge wave that is induced by a laser beam in an ionized medium: a plasma. To effectively use the electric field of a laser to accelerate particles, one has to somehow obtain a component of the field in the direction of the particle and slow the electromagnetic wave down so that this electric field can interact with the particle over a long distance. In the inverse-Cherenkov scheme, the wave is slowed down by introduction of a gas at the focus of the laser beam. A radially polarized laser beam is focused into this gas such that the particles to be accelerated interact with the laser field at the Cherenkov angle. This accelerator employs the Cherenkov mechanism: If a particle moves faster through a medium than light travels in the same medium, then it will radiate. The inverse-Cherenkov accelerator (ICA) simply runs this effect backward. Recently a proof-of-principle experiment has been carried out at Brookhaven National Laboratory's Advanced Accelerator test facility,' which shows acceleration of a relativistic electron beam that uses a CO, laser in the ICA mode. In the inverse free electron laser (IFEL) scheme, the particles are accelerated by the ponderomotive bucket formed by the beating of the laser light with a static magnetic wiggler. The synchronism condition is maintained by bending the electron orbits continuously and periodically by the wiggler field such that the particle traverses one wiggle period just as one period of the electromagnetic wave passes by the particle. Very encouraging results on acceleration by the IFEL scheme have recently been obtained.2 Finally, relativistic space charge waves excited in a plasma by intense laser beams have shown dramatic results. Coherent space charge waves have accelerated electrons to about 30 MeV in just 1 cm using the laser beat-wave techniq~e.~ Electrons have been shown to gain up to 100 MeV of energy in about a millimeter with use of the so-called self-modulated laser wake-field acceleration4 scheme. These accelerating gradients are thus by far the largest terrestrial accelerating gradients for charged particles obtained to date.


Parental involvement in their children's schools has been associated with several benefits for their children, including improved school achievement, lower dropout rates, and fewer behavioral problems. However, less is known about the involvement of parents dealing with documentation-status concerns. In this study, we examined the relations between Latinx parents' documentation-status concerns, level of education, English proficiency barriers, and school involvement. A community-based partnership conducted a systematic survey of the local Latinx population in both Spanish and English. Latinx community members were involved in the creation and review of the survey instrument and methodology. The analytic sample comprised 125 foreign-born Latinx parents residing in a Midwestern county whose children were in either elementary or middle school. Results indicated that parents who expressed documentation-status concerns were less likely to be physically present in schools, especially those with lower levels of education. Schools should aim to reduce barriers to school involvement among parents struggling with documentation-status concerns and lower education levels as a strategy to improve Latinx children's future academic success. Practical implications and suggestions for implementation are discussed.


Paying health facilities incentives based on their performance is one form of results-based financing (RBF). Verification of the performance of the providers is a vital part of RBF program implementation. Burundi was one of the first African countries to introduce performance-based financing (PBF). The PBF scheme is implemented in the whole country and is led by the Ministry of Health (MoH). It pays incentives based on quantity of services provided as well as a quality of care component. This study describes the methods used for verification in Burundi, which include monthly verification of the quantity and technical quality of services provided on a quarterly basis; semiannual patient tracing and assessment of patient satisfaction; and counter-verification of the information provided by these three mechanisms. The results of verification are presented and it discusses obstacles to verification, how they have been addressed, and the challenges ahead. The case study is part of a broader analysis, which includes multiple country case examples, to expand knowledge about the verification process and practices to address the design and implementation needs of RBF programs.


One of the purposes of the present invention is to provide a highly corrosion-resistant copper pipe which exhibits higher resistance to ant-nest-shaped corrosion and which is suitable for use in an air conditioning apparatus or a refrigerating apparatus. The other thereof is to improve advantageously the lifetime of such an apparatus using a copper pipe. A copper pipe which contains 0.05 to 1.0wt% of phosphorus (P) with the balance being copper (Cu) and unavoidable impurities.


In a mail survey of 951 residents of three urban areas of Sweden, satisfaction with their most recent work commutes was measured using self-report rating scales developed in previous research. The ratings were aggregated to index measures of two affective (stressed versus relaxed, alert versus sleepy) and one cognitive (high versus low standard) satisfaction component. Positive correlations were demonstrated with a measure of affect balance constructed from self-reports from memory of frequency times intensity of daily negative affects experienced last month subtracted from frequency times intensity of daily positive affects experienced last month. The affect balance measure was in turn positively correlated with ratings of overall life satisfaction. The results also showed that feelings during the work commutes were predominantly positive or neutral. Explanatory factors include desirable physical exercise from walking and biking, as well as that short commutes provide a buffer between the work and private spheres. For longer work commutes, social and entertainment activities would either increase positive affects or counteract stress and boredom.


In optical communication systems, coherent detection permits significant improvements in receiver sensitivity and wavelength selectivity compared with direct detection and allows a variety of modulation/demodulation formats to be used in practical applications. In the 1.3-1.6-µm lightwave band, an ideal coherent receiver requires only 10-20 photons/bit to obtain a bit error rate (BER) of 10−9, while direct detection requires ~1000 photons/bit. Because of its improved wavelength selectivity, the advanced technology of frequency multiplexing with channel spacings of only 100 MHz can be used as in microwave systems instead of the 100 GHz required with conventional optical wavelength-division-multiplexing technology.


The proportion of patients with cervical carcinoma in situ exhibiting a very low number of tumor cells in cytologic samples from the female reproductive tract was assessed with a model based on a multivariate beta distribution. The results of the study indicate that it is highly unlikely that a case of carcinoma in situ will be missed when 50,000 cells are screened in a given sample. However, the study also shows the importance of sampling methodology in the design of screening systems for cervical cancer and the crucial role that the coefficient of variation between patients assumes.