Background Neuropathic pain is a highly debilitating chronic pain following damage to peripheral sensory neurons and is often resistant to all treatments currently available, including opioids. We have previously shown that peripheral nerve injury induces activation of cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) in injured dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons that contribute to tactile allodynia, a hallmark of neuropathic pain. However, lipid mediators downstream of cPLA2 activation to produce tactile allodynia remain to be determined. Principal Findings Here we provide evidence that platelet-activating factor (PAF) is a potential candidate. Pharmacological blockade of PAF receptors (PAFRs) reduced the development and expression of tactile allodynia following nerve injury. The expression of PAFR mRNA was increased in the DRG ipsilateral to nerve injury, which was seen mainly in macrophages. Furthermore, mice lacking PAFRs showed a reduction of nerve injury-induced tactile allodynia and, interestingly, a marked suppression of upregulation of tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) expression in the injured DRG, crucial proinflammatory cytokines involved in pain hypersensitivity. Conversely, a single injection of PAF near the DRG of naïve rats caused a decrease in the paw withdrawal threshold to mechanical stimulation in a dose-dependent manner and an increase in the expression of mRNAs for TNFα and IL-1β, both of which were inhibited by pretreatment with a PAFR antagonist. Conclusions Our results indicate that the PAF/PAFR system has an important role in production of TNFα and IL-1β in the DRG and tactile allodynia following peripheral nerve injury and suggest that blocking PAFRs may be a viable therapeutic strategy for treating neuropathic pain.


This European picture book collection is intended to help teachers to widen children's horizons by bringing picture books from the European member states to British and European primary schools. It describes each of the books selected, discusses the signs and messages carried by the illustrations and text, shows teachers how to help children "read" the selected texts through their pictures and shows teachers how the books can help children recognize the similarities in children's experiences throughout Europe. The 19 books in the collection have a common theme, friendship. The universality of this theme enables children to engage with the books and empathize with the various characters - witches, animals and people of all ages.


ABSTRACT "Getting the hands dirty" refers to an approach in which process and performance are inseparably bound. The "performance" begins on the workbench and is extended onto the "stage" through live bricolage. The idea of "dirt" is seen as a critical ingredient in the process of live electronic music, and the term "dirty electronics" is used to describe an increasing focus in electronic music on shared experiences face-to-face, ritual, gesture, touch, social interaction and the exploration of devised instruments. The author concludes that digital technology has merely reinforced the importance of the human body and the physical in live performance.


OBJECTIVE
To assess nurses' perspectives on character, prevalence and cause of oral diseases among psychiatric patients and also their approach and suggestions in relation to the care of oral problems.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
A questionnaire-based cross-sectional survey of all cadres of nurses (n = 136) at the Federal Psychiatric Hospital, Benin City, Nigeria, was conducted between December 2010 and January 2011.

RESULTS
Two-thirds (67.6%) of the respondents reported that psychiatric in-patients in comparison with the general population have a higher occurrence of oral and dental problems. Commonly cited reasons for the poor oral health of patients included as follows: sedation for long periods, lack of care by family, psychopathological symptoms, poor access to dentists and lack of oral hygiene advice. The common oral health complaints received by the respondents included toothache, pain from the gums and inability to open the mouth. Majority (91.4%) of respondents claimed to be presently involved with oral care of psychiatric in-patients but oral care delivery is however bedevilled with lot of barriers like uncooperativeness of patients and lack of oral care materials.

CONCLUSION
Oral complaints received are frequent and numerate with limited palliative action rendered. Attaching dentists to psychiatric hospitals and regular training of psychiatric nurses on oral care delivery are recommended to comprehensively cater for the oral health problems of psychiatric in-patients.


Background In vivo studies demonstrate that curcumin increases radioresponse of colorectal cancers. To demonstrate efficacy in humans, we performed a randomized double-blind study of locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) patients receiving pre-operative chemoradiation therapy (CRT) ± curcumin. We used pathologic complete response (pCR) rate as a surrogate for clinical outcome. Methods From 2008–2010, LARC patients were randomized to placebo/curcumin in a 1:2 ratio. Patients received CRT [50.4 gray in 28 fractions; capecitabine (825 mg/m2 twice daily)] followed by surgery. Curcumin (4 grams orally, twice daily) or placebo was given throughout CRT and 6 weeks afterward. Toxicity was monitored weekly. Blood samples taken pre- and 1-hour post-ingestion and tissue biopsies (both collected at CRT week 2) were analyzed for pharmacokinetics. The primary outcome was surgical pCR rate. Results Of 22 enrolled patients, 15 received curcumin. Median age was 61 years and the majority were male (n=13; 59%). The median serum curcumin concentrations before (3.04 ng/mL; range, 1.24–18.88 ng/mL) and 1 hour after (3.32 ng/mL; range, 0.84–5.36 ng/mL) curcumin intake did not differ significantly (P=0.33). Serum curcumin concentrations both increased and decreased 1-hour post-administration (range as percentage of baseline: 8.8–258.1%). Twelve curcumin patient tissue biopsies had median curcumin concentration of 33.7 ng/mg tissue (range, 0.1–4,765.7 ng/mg). Two placebo and 1 curcumin patient achieved pCRs (P=0.18). One grade 3 toxicity (infection) was experienced. Conclusions The addition of curcumin to CRT did not increase pCR rates for LARC patients. The unpredictable bioavailability of curcumin contributes to continued uncertainties regarding curcumin efficacy. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00745134.


On‐board satellites techniques provide global coverage and could play an important role in the continuous oceanic survey to prevent the damage produced by powerful tsunamis. We report here new ionospheric observations related to three significant transpacific tsunami events triggered by the 2006 Kuril earthquake, the 2009 Samoa earthquake and the 2010 Chile earthquake. Total Electron Content (TEC) variations extracted from data recorded by a dense Global Positioning System (GPS) network based in Hawaii show ionospheric disturbances within the hours following the tsunami wave passage at sea‐level. For each event, we observe ionospheric gravity waves propagating with velocity, direction and arrival time coherent with the tsunami. The tsunamigenic signature in the ionosphere is also compared to in‐situ sea‐level measurements. These observations provide new examples of the sensitivity of the ionosphere to tsunamigenic gravity waves and confirm that ionospheric monitoring by GPS can provide complementary information on tsunami propagation.


This research is a study of the effort exerted by Sheikh Abdul-Aziz Al-Samarrai in the Prophetic Hadith. In particular I focus on his book on the science of the origins of the hadith. The introduction offers a brief overview of Sheikh Abd al-Aziz al-Samarrai's life including his family, his career, his attributes, and his death, followed by a summary of the Sheikh's book. In the first section, I discuss the defects that I found in his book, and in the second I consider the advantages of his book.
Keywords: Abdulaziz, advantages, defects efforts, Hadith origins.


The mast-cell sarcoma of a bone is described here for the first time. The tumour presented in a 4-year-old boy, with pain, oedema and deformation of his right lower leg. Radiological findings revealed a destructive tumourous mass. Histopathological examination showed the tumour to be composed of large, atypical cells, with hyperchromatic oval and polygonal nuclei. The cytoplasm around them was eosinophilic with many basophilic and toluidine-blue-positive granules. These atypical mast cells were positive for chloroacetate esterase, c-kit, tryptase and negative for myeloperoxidase. The primary disease quickly progressed to mast-cell leukaemia, and despite intensive chemotherapy the patient died 18 months after first symptoms.


The objectives of this study were two-fold in evaluating the effects of soybean meal and soyhulls inclusion level in diets fed to grow-finish pigs on growth performance. Firstly, we compared high soybean meal (minimal crystalline amino acids) vs. crystalline amino acids diet formulations. Secondly, we evaluated the addition of soyhulls and soyhulls plus xylanase to diet formulations. In a complete randomized design, a total of 463 grower pigs (BW of 28.4 ± 5.6 kg) were randomly assigned to one of four dietary treatments (n = 12 pens/treatment; 9 – 11 pigs/pen). Within each phase, dietary treatments were formulated to the same SID Lys:ME, and to meet or exceed nutrient recommendations (NRC, 2012) and were fed over three phases consisting of: 1) corn soybean-meal based diet formulated with crystalline amino acids (CON); 2) corn soybean-meal based diet formulated to meet AA requirements via soybean-meal with limited crystalline amino acids (HSBM); 3) As diet #1 with 15% soyhulls (SH); and 4) As diet #3 + commercial xylanase enzyme (SH+X). Diets were formulated with to a SID Lys:ME of 3.26, 2.46, and 1.95 in phase 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Pig BW and pen feed disappearance were recorded at phase change to calculate ADG, ADFI, and feed efficiency (G:F) over the study duration of 95 days. All data were analyzed using the PROC MIXED of SAS 9.4 with pen as the experimental unit and the model included the fixed effect of treatment with least squares means reported. There were no differences (P > 0.05) amongst treatments in phase 1 for any growth performance measures. There was an increase in ADFI of pigs fed SH and SH+X when compared with CON and HSBM (P < 0.05) in phase 2 (P2; 2.89 and 2.82 vs. 2.75 and 2.73 kg/d, respectively) and phase 3 (P3; 3.42 and 3.40 vs. 3.18 and 3.28 kg/d, respectively). However, no differences in ADG or G:F (P > 0.05) compared with CON were reported in P2 or P3. Overall, there were no differences in ADG (P > 0.05) between treatments. Pigs fed SH and SH+X had an increase ADFI compared with CON and HSBM (2.84 and 2.83 vs. 2.68 and 2.71 kg/d, respectively; P < 0.05) and a decrease in G:F when fed SH; however, no differences between CON, HSBM, and SH+X (0.38 vs. 0.40, 0.40, and 0.39, respectively; P > 0.05). In conclusion, there were no negative growth performance effects of feeding a diet containing minimal crystalline amino acids and meeting the requirement of the pigs via soybean meal. Further, there was an increase in feed intake when pigs were fed a diet containing 15% soyhulls, regardless of if there was an addition of xylanase.


Semiconductor superlattices with an electric field applied perpendicular to the layers exhibit tunneling resonances at field strengths, which are determined by the subband spacings and the superlattice period. Time-of-flight experiments are used to identify the tunneling resonances. The injection of carriers into higher subbands at resonance can be directly observed in photoluminescence experiments. The relative occupation gives information about the intersubband scattering time. By applying a magnetic field perpendicular to the layers in addition to the electric field, resonant tunneling between Landau levels, which are forming zero-dimensional states, is investigated. At large carrier densities the applied electric field breaks up into several regions, i.e. domains, of different field strengths, which are determined by the resonant tunneling condition between electronic subbands.


Integrated bundles of products and services are gaining importance in various sectors and are reshaping the competitive landscape of many industries. They also pose new challenges to established firms, who need to reconfigure their capabilities. Drawing upon the resource-based view and contingency theory, we test a model of fit between environmental requirements and integrated solutions capabilities in the IT sector. We used the model to interpret the current industry structure and analyze its dynamics. The analysis suggests the existence of four different configurations and indicates that differences in fit between environmental variables and strategic choices partially account for performance differences among integrated solution providers. The results also suggest that, although the provision of bundled products and services confers some a priori advantages to IS providers over generic IT firms, these advantages are greater for firms that are able to align their capabilities to the characteristics of their operational environment.


Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to focus on the analysis of the influence of organizational design variables on the creation of knowledge within the organization. The impact that enablers have on knowledge creation has been widely demonstrated and established in the relevant literature. Using this assumption as a starting-point, the main aim of this study is to consider and explore the role of differentiation – horizontal and vertical – in knowledge creation using enablers as mediator variables. Design/methodology/approach - The paper has created a model of relations of the design variables that correspond to differentiation – horizontal job specialization, vertical job specialization and number of hierarchical levels; the enablers – autonomy, redundancy and variety; and knowledge creation. This model is then contrasted with an empirical investigation of a quantitative nature, using a sample of 167 large Spanish firms. Findings - The findings in the paper confirm both the impact of enablers on knowledge creation, as defined in the literature, and the fact that vertical specialization is shown to be a suitable design variable for creating knowledge through the autonomy enabler. However, the relation between the horizontal specialization of work and the number of hierarchical levels is not confirmed as being significant in terms of knowledge creation. Research limitations/implications - This paper considers the main limitation of this research to be that the questionnaire was answered by only one respondent, which forced one to consider the outcomes of this research with a certain degree of caution. Practical implications - The results in the paper may be relevant for managers in decision making with regard to organizational design. Herein, reference is made to variables relative to job design and the number of hierarchical levels. Originality/value - The value of this paper lies in two aspects. First, it overlaps two fields of research; organizational design and knowledge creation. Second, although there is a lot of literature on knowledge creation, there are very few empirical studies, especially of a quantitative nature.


Recombinant HIV-1 Nef protein, but not Tat, gp120, and gp160, provoked leukocyte recruitment into the CNS in a rat model. The strong reduction of bioactivity by heat treatment of Nef, and the blocking effect of the mAb 2H12, which recognizes the carboxy-terminal amino acid (aa) residues 171–190 (but not of mAb 3E6, an anti-Nef Ab of the same isotype, which maps the aa sequence 168–175, as well as a mixture of mAbs to CD4) provided evidence for the specificity of the observed Nef effects. Using a modified Boyden chamber technique, Nef exhibited chemotactic activity on mononuclear cells in vitro. Coadministration of the anti-Nef mAb 2H12, as well as treatment of Nef by heat inhibited Nef-induced chemotaxis. Besides soluble Nef, chemotaxis was also induced by a Nef-expressing human astrocytoma cell line, but not by control cells. These data suggest a direct chemotactic activity of soluble Nef. The detection of elevated levels of IL-6, TNF- a , and IFN- g in rat cerebrospinal fluid 6 h after intracisternal Nef injection hint at the additional involvement of indirect mechanisms in Nef-induced leukocyte migration into rat CNS. These data propose a mechanism by which HIV-1 Nef protein may be essential for AIDS neuropathogenesis, as a mediator of the recruitment of leukocytes that may serve as vehicles of the virus and perpetrators for disease through their production of neurotoxins. The Journal of Immunology, 1999, 163: 1237–1245.


VBA is a tool embedded in AutoCAD for the secondary development. According to the secondary development of the tool of marking surface roughness under the condition of AutoCAD2000/2000i with VBA, a program used to mark surface roughness automatically is given and the basic technology and its development of the tool are illustrated which are used to mark surface roughness.


Background: Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), including cancer, account for approximately 38 million deaths each year, and almost 75% of these deaths occur in low and middle-income countries. NCDs contribute to 60% of total deaths in India, and of concern are the premature deaths, which account for a staggering 48% mortality and can be prevented. Aim: Establish a consensus research agenda for cancer and NCD prevention and control that has the potential to impact polices, programs and health care delivery. Methods: To develop a NCD research agenda for India, we engaged our community collaborative board (CCB), which included NCD-focused global, national- and state-level stakeholders, and our scientific advisory group (SAG), which included global and national NCD experts, in a three-step process using two Web-based surveys and one in-person meeting. First, we used Delphi methodology to generate topics. Eighteen stakeholders from both CCB and SAG responded to the first Web-based survey generating 165 research ideas during the first round. After accounting for clustering and duplication, we had 56 unique research ideas. Second, these ideas were deliberated upon during the in-person meeting where each participant with a set of 10 stickers placed them next to the research priority(ies) that they felt are important for prevention and control of cancer and NCDs in India. This generated 23 research ideas, which were subjected to SWOT analysis in pairs by the stakeholders using Snowcard methodology with SAG and CCB. The stakeholders prioritized the shortlisted topics based on level of effort and potential to impact NCDs in India. Finally, 15 low effort, high impact priority research ideas for various health outcomes across research disciplines were identified based on discussion with the larger group to reach consensus. The second Web-based survey resulted in identification of 5 key priority research ideas by all stakeholders as being the most important. Results: The 5 prioritized research ideas in order of importance are: (1) development of interventions to empower primary physicians and health workers in early diagnosis of NCDs; (2) evaluation of health system strengthening programs for NCD control; (3) feasibility of integrated care models at primary care level to address multimorbid chronic conditions; (4) development of India specific methods and tools for monitoring trends on NCD morbidity, mortality and risk factors; and (5) identification of effective strategies to mobilize individuals toward NCD screening activities. Conclusion: Development of a consensus research agenda for India is a critical gap needed to pursue resources required to address pressing needs in cancer and other NCDs. The rising mortality and morbidity resulting from cancer and NCDs with similar risk factors, warrants the timely implementation of this agenda. This will generate the evidence-base from which new policies and practices can be used to reduce cancer and other NCDs in India.


Objective(s): Irisin was reported as a cardioprotective and anti-oxidative effector, while the effect on atrial fibrosis is unknown. The current research examined irisin's function in atrial fibrillation (AF); atrial fibrosis brought on by Ang II can be suppressed, thus lessening the risk of developing AF. Materials and Methods: 246 individuals were enrolled in the present case-control study. Chinese AF patients (n=126), 83 of whom were paroxysmal AF (PAF), 43 patients with persistent AF (PeAF), and 120 healthy controls. Saline or Ang II (2.0 mg/kg/day) was subcutaneously injected into healthy male C57BL/6 mice for four weeks. Once daily for four weeks, intraperitoneal injections of exogenous irisin (500 g/kg/day) were administered. Results: In comparison to PAF patients and healthy controls (all P<0.05), PeAF patients had significantly higher rates of heart failure (HF), large left atrial size (LAD), hypertrophic protein B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), malondialdehyde (MDA), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX-I), and transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-β1), while superoxide dismutase (SOD) level was low. Expression of irisin was decreased in AF patients' serum and Ang II-infused mice. Exogenous irisin dramatically reduced apoptosis, atrial fibrosis, atrial inflammation, and the susceptibility to AF caused by Ang II. In the atrial tissue, irisin inhibited Ang II-induced fibroblast transdifferentiation, LOXL2, TGF-β1, collagen production, and phosphorylation of Smad2/3. Conclusion: The study results speculated that irisin could be a potential AF target, and it inhibited atrial fibrosis and significantly impaired increased AF susceptibility through inactivation of LOXL2 and the TGF-β/Smad pathway.


Web search is an interactive process that involves actions from Web search users and responses from the search engine. Many research efforts have been made to address the problem of understanding search behavior in general. Some of this work focused on predicting whether a particular user has succeeded in achieving her search goal or not. Most of these studies have faced the problem of the lack of reliable labeled data to learn from. Unlike labeled data, unlabeled data recording behavioral signals in Web search is widely available in search logs. In this work, we study the plausibility of using labeled and unlabeled data to learn better models of user behavior that can be used to predict search success more effectively. We present a semi-supervised approach to modeling Web search satisfaction. The proposed approach can use either labeled data only or both labeled and unlabeled data. We show that the proposed model outperforms previous methods for modeling search success using labeled data. We also show that adding unlabeled data improves the effectiveness of the proposed models and that the proposed method outperforms other strong semi-supervised baselines.


The expression of the retinoic acid-induced G (Rig-G) gene, an all trans retinoic acid (ATRA)-inducible gene, was observed in multiple cancer cells, including lung cancer cells. However, whether Rig-G is a tumor suppressor in lung cancer is unknown. Here, we found that ectopic expression of Rig-G can lead to a significant decrease in proliferation of lung cancer cells, resulting in an inhibition of tumor growth. Rig-G knockdown results in a modest increase in cell proliferation, as well as confers an increase in colony formation. Furthermore, transcriptome and pathway analyses of cancer cells revealed a fundamental impact of Rig-G on various growth signaling pathways, including the NF-κB pathway. Rig-G inhibits NF-κB activity by suppressing STAT3 in lung cancer cells. The downregulation of miR21 and miR181b-1 and subsequent activation of PTEN/Akt and CYLD/IκB signaling axis leading to decreased NF-κB activity required to maintain the tumor-inhibiting effect of Rig-G.. Our findings contribute to a better understanding of the antitumor effect mechanism of Rig-G, as well as offer a novel strategy for lung cancer therapy.


New atomic calculations for Fe x are presented. They focus on the need to model the soft X-ray spectrum and in particular the line at 94.0 A which is the dominant contribution to the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) 94 A band in quiet Sun conditions. This line, and others in the band, are due to strong decays from n = 4 levels. We present new large-scale R-matrix (up to n = 4) and distorted-wave (DW, up to n = 6) scattering calculations for electron collisional excitation and compare them to earlier work. We find significant discrepancies with previous calculations. We show that resonances significantly increase the cross-sections for excitations from the ground state to some n = 4 levels, in particular to those in the 3s2 3p4 4s configuration. Cascading from higher levels is also important. We suggest a new identification for the 3s 3p62S1/2–3s 3p5 4s 2P3/2 transition, that has a predicted intensity larger than the decays from the 3s2 3p4 4s levels which were identified by Edlen in 1936. The results presented here are relevant to our understanding of transitions from n = 4 levels in a wide range of other ions.


This article is a study of the tension which arises because South Africa is a religious society within a secular state, or a secular state embedded in a religious society. The belief in God among Grade 11 students in the Johannesburg/ Pretoria region is investigated, and questions are posed as to the role belief in God plays in the formation of their attitudes towards human rights. Fundamental aspects of the relationship between belief in God and human rights are dealt with, students' belief in God is investigated and described, and finally, it is asked whether the students believe that there is a God of human rights.


Magnetic microspheres with nonmagnetic acrylic glass core were fabricated using electroless deposition. There are favorable conditions for magnetic flux closure within each particle. As a result, the dipole-dipole interaction in the powder of such microspheres is reduced drastically. This is the key difference between powders of magnetic microspheres and powders of full magnetic spherical particles witch behavior is significantly affected by the dipole-dipole interaction. The magnetic hysteresis in the cobalt microspheres with nonmagnetic core is significantly large then in the full cobalt particles produced using the same technique.


The coupling between beam tilt and longitudinal path length readout in a setup representing a LISA test mass interferometer was reduced to below 2 µm/rad using a two lens imaging system. This was achieved by the use of a homodyne equal arm-length Mach-Zehnder interferometer and suppression of the dominating effects of higher order Gaussian modes and longitudinal actuator movement. The latter was subtracted using the phase signal of a large single element photo diode.


In machine learning and computer vision, optimal transport has had significant success in learning generative models and defining metric distances between structured and stochastic data objects, that can be cast as probability measures. The key element of optimal transport is the so called lifting of an \emph{exact} cost (distance) function, defined on the sample space, to a cost (distance) between probability measures over the sample space. However, in many real life applications the cost is \emph{stochastic}: e.g., the unpredictable traffic flow affects the cost of transportation between a factory and an outlet. To take this stochasticity into account, we introduce a Bayesian framework for inferring the optimal transport plan distribution induced by the stochastic cost, allowing for a principled way to include prior information and to model the induced stochasticity on the transport plans. Additionally, we tailor an HMC method to sample from the resulting transport plan posterior distribution.


Objective— Familial aggregation of fibromyalgia has been increasingly recognized. The goal of the current study was to conduct a genome wide linkage scan to identify susceptibility loci for fibromyalgia. Methods— We genotyped members of 116 families from the Fibromyalgia Family Study and performed a model-free genome-wide linkage analysis of fibromyalgia with 341 microsatellite markers, using the Haseman-Elston regression approach. Results— The estimated sibling recurrence risk ratio ( λ s ) for fibromyalgia was 13.6 (95% CI: 10.0–18.5), based on a reported population prevalence of 2%. Genome-wide suggestive evidence of linkage was found at marker D17S2196 (Empirical P =0.00030) and D17S1294 (Empirical P =0.00035) on chromosome 17p11.2-q11.2. Conclusion— The estimated sibling recurrence risk ratio suggests a strong genetic component of fibromyalgia. This is the first study to report genome-wide suggestive linkage of fibromyalgia to the chromosome 17p11.2-q11.2 region. Further investigation of these multi-case families from the Fibromyalgia Family Study is warranted to identify potential causal risk variants for fibromyalgia.


Ascites is a rare manifestation of endometriosis. The case reported is that of a 26-year-old woman with recurrent massive hemorrhagic ascites. The analysis of biopsy specimens made at laparoscopy confirmed the diagnosis. The report noted pelvic endometriosis associated but there was no umbilical or pleural involvement. The evolution was favorable under a long term hormone treatment (by GnRH analogues) with relay through continuous estrogen-progestogen. The diagnostic and therapeutic difficulties of this rare form of endometriosis are presented through a review of the literature.


The single-phase Zn-doped type-I Ba 8 Ga 12 Zn 2 Ge 32 clathrates have been prepared by a novel melt spinning (MS) technique combined with spark plasma sintering (SPS) method, and the effects of melt spinning process on their microstructure and thermoelectric transport properties have been investigated. The results show that the free surface of ribbon obtained by MS consists of cubic grains with the size of 0.3—1.0μm, and after SPS a highly dense bulk material with lots of fine-layered structure has been obtained. Compared with the bulk Ba 8 Ga 12 Zn 2 Ge 32 material prepared by melting method combined with SPS (MM+SPS sample), the bulk Ba 8 Ga 12 Zn 2 Ge 32 material obtained by melting method combined with MS and SPS (MM+MS+SPS sample) has higher carrier concentration and lower carrier mobility at room temperature. Furthermore, the MS process leads to a slight decrease of electrical conductivity, somewhat increase of Seebeck coefficient, as a well as a remarkable decrease of lattice thermal conductivity for bulk Ba 8 Ga 12 Zn 2 Ge 32 clathrates in the testing temperature range of 300—900K. At 900K, the latticethermal conductivities of MM+SPS sample and MM+MS+SPS sample are 1.06 and 0.42W/mK respectively. As a result, the maximum dimensionless figure of merit ZT of 0.90 is obtained at 900K for the MM+MS+SPS sample. Compared with that of MM+SPS sample, it increases by 75% at the same temperature.


Previously, we reported that purified surface influenza viral glycoproteins can induce cell-mediated cytotoxicity (CMC) in vitro. Both neuraminidase (NA) and hemagglutinin (HA) were equally good stimulators, on an equimolar basis. In order to broaden the scope of these observations, we examined whether these glycoproteins stimulate natural killer (NK) activity in vivo. Biologically active preparations of glycoproteins NA and HA were purified from virus A/USSR/90/77 (H1N1) and recombinant virus A/USSR/92/77 (H1) x A/Prague/1/56 (N7), respectively. The studies were carried out using the optimal doses of NA and HA. In a 4-hour NK assay, using NK-sensitive YAC-1 cells as targets, both viral glycoproteins stimulated the NK activity of splenocytes of BALB/c and C3H mice. This stimulation was independent of the route of administration (intravenous or intraperitoneal) of the antigen. The observed NK activity was viral antigen-specific and could be modulated to levels comparable to those observed with the standard stimulator, polyinosinic acid-polycytidylic acid, by the use of an appropriate synthetic adjuvant, stearyl tyrosinate. Direct and indirect evidences suggest that the enhanced CMC is due to NK cells. These observations imply that enhancement of NK activity is the intrinsic property of influenza NA and HA.


The aim of this paper is to present an experimental convergence study of several high order curl-conforming finite elements. Degrees of freedom are first mathematically defined in order to interpolate directly a set of analytical functions. The convergence is then analyzed on these functions before being compared with two- and three-dimensional finite element EM field computations.


Highly branched poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) was first synthesized by self-condensing atom transfer radical copolymerization (SCATRCP) catalyzed by CuBr/tris[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl]amine (Me6TREN) complex in isopropanol at room temperature. This method showed good control over chain morphology and lower critical solution temperature (LCST) type phase transition behavior of PNIPAM by varying reaction time and monomer/inimer feed ratios. On the basis of GPC, FTIR, 1HNMR and DSC results, four stages were discerned during the polymerization procedure, at which chain architectures experienced "linear – comblike – slightly branched – highly branched" transformations. Additionally, the synthesized highly branched PNIPAM chains were found to be able to self-assemble into hollow spheres in alcohols such as methanol and ethanol, which arise from the presence of large amounts of hydrophobic branched points inside polymer chains.


The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between alterations in pulmonary function (i.e., diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide and pulmonary volumes) and the ventilatory response elicited during the cycle‐run succession in triathletes. Ten well‐trained triathletes performed three exercises: 1) 30 min cycling plus 20 min of running, termed the cycle‐run succession; 2) 30 min cycling; and 3) 20 min running. Before and 10 min after each trial, the triathletes underwent pulmonary function testing, including spirometry and diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide. During all trials, ventilatory data were collected every minute using an automated breath‐by‐breath system. The ventilatory response was significantly higher in the run subsequent to cycling as compared with the run performed independently (P<0.001). There was no change in pulmonary volumes before and after exercises; however, the diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide and the transfer coefficient were similarly decreased (P<0.05) after cycling and the cycle‐run succession, but not decreased after running. The increase in minute ventilation in the run segment of the cycle‐run succession versus in running alone was significantly correlated with the decrease in diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide measured after versus before the cycle‐run succession (P<0.01). This same increase in ventilation was also correlated with the decrease in diffusing capacity measured after the cycle‐run succession versus after cycling alone (P<0.03). These results suggest the possibility that the DLCO decrease contributes in part to the ventilatory increase noted in the run after cycling during the cycle‐run succession of the triathlon.


In oral cultures, proverbs are a window to the very fabric of society. This article looks at how the current generation is using traditional proverbs in modern ways, by employing Zulu memetic aphorisms. These memetic aphorisms function in the same manner as memes; except that the former has no images underneath the writing. Memetic aphorisms are written in Zulu; however, they involve a lot of codeswitching and use of numbers instead of words. These memetic aphorisms are factual, ironical, funny, and use word play. They are generally acceptable comments and meaningful assertions about life in general. Memetic aphorisms have become an easy and quick way to communicate opinions of the speaker regarding the behaviour, dress code, physical appearance, social status and religious affiliation. This article will look at how the content of these memetic aphorisms is organised to criticise and shun the bad behaviour of women in an effort to prepare them for marriage. It will also look at the correlation between the languages of memes, as it relates to traditional proverbs in Zulu. The article proposes a simple typology for analysing and identifying common features between the aphorisms and traditional proverbs in Zulu social discourse. These memetic aphorisms gain their relevance and meaning in the context within which they are used.


Because the paleontologic concept of Coccolithophoridae species is restricted and far removed from the biologic concept, which itself is not yet satisfactorily established, calcareous nannofossil taxonomy remains in an unsatisfactory state. This situation is clearly reflected by various authors' widely different interpretations of the phylogenetic relationships among species in a given genus and among genera. Examples taken from the extant genus Helicosphaera suggest that because of parallel evolution, delineation of phylogenetic relationships among coccolith morphospecies using morphologic data alone are hazardous, as is delineation of phylogenetic relationships among closely related genera.


In this paper, we propose symmetry measures for post stroke assessment based on gait signal profiles from inertial sensors. Ten healthy controls and eight post stroke patients performed 6-Minute Walk Tests while wearing an inertial sensor on top of each shoe. Symmetry measures based on the linear correlation and the normalized sample distance between left and right foot pitch angular velocity showed high discriminating power to differentiate post stroke gait from healthy controls (Cliff's D = 0.95, Wilcoxon test p<0.001). The proposed symmetry measures are simple to estimate and do not require spatiotemporal gait parameters while they provide comparable discriminating power than symmetry measures based on spatiotemporal gait characteristics such as maximum angular velocity and stance ratio of each cycle. The proposed symmetry measures have the potential for generalization in wearable sensor based gait symmetry assessment.


Under conditions of the population aging, one of the most pressing and urgent problems for company management is the retirement of most administrative staff over the next few years. At the same time, the majority of the young working-age population brings into question the current management practices in companies, considering the work primarily as a way of ensuring their livelihoods. There is a large proportion of the population who believe that work should bring joy, pleasure, and be open to creative activity. It leads to a shift in small and medium-sized companies (SME) from traditional management models to those adapted to modern labor market requirements. It is considered that the advertising brochures and websites of many small and medium-sized enterprises have recently mentioned a standard management style when announcing a vacancy notice. As for the employees, the presence of joint management is considered as "the most important property of the company", while most managers treat the formation of this management style with a high degree of formality and conventionality. This article investigates the problems of trade companies in the context of the creation and implementation of labor-management policies. These challenges are widely described and discussed in the world of scientific literature, predominantly by the example of other industries, leading to inconsistencies in the conditions and features of its application in the trade sector. According to an empirical approach based on expert interviews, major leadership issues were identified. Experts stressed the fact that while struggling for skilled personnel, the companies face new challenges when the younger generation of employees emerges in the labor market. These workers require a more transformational approach to leadership than that one, which exists today. The reasons for this situation are the promotion of highly qualified specialists to executive positions. Thus, these vacancies are often replaced by those who earned it the most, being an excellent employee, but lack managerial skills.

Keywords: demographic trend, leadership styles, RIASEC model, small and medium-sized enterprises, transformational leadership, general management.


: Possibility was shown of modelling electro-mechanical transformer of biomechanical structures by polyionic combinations being in the contact with the solution of microions and with epsilon approximately 10(5). Oriented polyionic combinations are liable to model contractions if polyions work on stretching, and stretchings if they work on compression.


The Egyptian revolution was a spark that enlightened the social media in a comprehensive manner among the nation, therefore online platforms are considered to be a marvelous opportunity to speed up the role of marketing in any start-up pharmacy. The objective of this research was to present a guideline for the Egyptian retail pharmacies on how to implement social media to grow in an online interactive market. Manifest anxieties for instance, concerns of information, safety over the social platforms, slow adaptation of technology by drug stores, inappropriate announcements generated by the customers, and the lack of privacy and security concerning the patients' health related information throughout the pharmacists' interaction presented dilemmas that required further careful handling for the success of the business results. Social marketing methodologies necessitated that the social platforms have to be set based on certain requirements, monitored and measured by suitable tools to be able to control the strategy performance and also to improve the process of planning. Undoubtedly, social media marketing has proven to be a better approach compared to traditional marketing. The market research is covered by the marketing facts and target groups that have brought to light the high prospects to establish and expand a pharmaceutical social media strategy in Egypt.


One hundred and eighty (180) two weeks old cockerels were randomly allocated to five dietary treatments in a 2 × 3 factorial layout. They were used to compare the effects of two processing methods of palm kernel oil extraction (local and industrial) and three dietary levels of palm kernel meal (PKM) (0, 20 and 40%). Parameters considered were feed intake, daily weight gain, feed cost, carcass characteristics, blood constituents and nutrient metabolisms. The result showed that the cockerels on industrial PKM had a significantly (P<0.05) higher feed intake, daily weight gain and better feed conversion ratio (P<0.01) compared to the control and those on local PKM. The highest weight gain and lowest feed cost/kg weight gain was obtained for 40% PKM diets. The carcass analysis was not significantly different except for the slaughter, head and feet weight and length of small intestine. Not all these followed any particular pattern. Cockerels on industrial PKM had significantly (P<0.05) longer small intestine compared to control and local PKM diets. The blood analysis also showed a significant effect of processing method on packed cell volume, albumin and total protein in favour of industrial PKM. The nutrient metabolism study showed a significant treatment and processing method effect. The nutrient metabolism decreased with increase in PKM inclusion level. In conclusion, industrial PKM can be included up to 40% level in the cockerels' diet with very good results.


Despite the clinical relevance of dermatophytes, our understanding of their virulence is in its infancy. For the dermatophyte Arthroderma benhamiae, which has been established as a model organism for dermatophytes, Heddergott et al. (p. 673– 682) describe a new pathogenicity mechanism. The genome of A. benhamiae encodes a single hydrophobin gene designated hypA. Deletion of this gene yielded a mutant strain completely lacking hydrophobicity of the conidial and mycelial surfaces. Interestingly, conidia of this mutant triggered an increased activation of human neutrophil granulocytes characterized by enhanced formation of neutrophil extracellular traps. This work points to an emerging paradigm that conidial hydrophobin layers reduce immune recognition, thus allowing conidia to evade host defenses.


In this article I draw on recent work regarding disabilities that are not readily apparent to analyze the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, and/or trans (LGBQT) mad people in the workplace. Based on interviews with LGBQT people about madness and everyday life, I use an intersectional approach to examine participants' work lives. I argue that decisions about disclosure of mental health related information are particularly pressing and high risk at work, given the economic stakes and the effects on health and well-being. As is the case for others with invisible disabilities, notions of authenticity shape processes of disclosure and access to accommodations for LGBQT mad people in the workplace. An intersectional analysis shows how madness cannot be considered the only salient aspect of my participants' subject positions and how multiple identities operate together to shape their experiences. Keywords: madness, invisible disability, LGBQT, intersectionality, workplace, race, sexuality, gender identity


There have been different strategies to improve the performance of a machine learning model, e.g., increasing the depth, width, and/or nonlinearity of the model, and using ensemble learning to aggregate multiple base/weak learners in parallel or in series. This article proposes a novel strategy called patch learning (PL) for this problem. It consists of three steps: first, train an initial global model using all training data; second, identify from the initial global model the patches that contribute the most to the learning error, and train a (local) patch model for each such patch; and, third, update the global model using training data that do not fall into any patch. To use a PL model, we first determine if the input falls into any patch. If yes, then the corresponding patch model is used to compute the output. Otherwise, the global model is used. We explain in detail how PL can be implemented using fuzzy systems. Five regression problems on one-dimensional (1-D)/2-D/3-D curve fitting, nonlinear system identification, and chaotic time-series prediction, verified its effectiveness. To our knowledge, the PL idea has not appeared in the literature before, and it opens up a promising new line of research in machine learning.


Abstract The search and detection of objects under water is carried out by groups of specialised divers. However, their time underwater and their ability to penetrate the depths are limited. For these reasons, the use of unmanned underwater vehicles equipped with technical observation equipment, including TV cameras, is becoming increasingly popular for these tasks. Video images from cameras installed on vehicles are used to identify and classify underwater objects. The process of recognition and identification of objects is tedious and difficult and requires the analysis of numerous sequences of images, and so it is desirable to automate this process. In response to these needs, this article presents the concept of identification of underwater objects based on visual images from an underwater body of water sent from an unmanned underwater vehicle to a base vessel. The methods of initial processing of the observed images from an underwater area as well as the method of searching for selected objects in these images and their identification with the use of the Hough transform will be described. Furthermore, the paper presents the results of the preliminary processing and identification of the observed images following a deconvolution operation.


A three-dimensional hierarchical finite element formulation of Biot's equation for low frequency elasto-acoustic wave propagation in fluid saturated porous media based on a weak formulation with fluid displacement and solid displacement as dependent variables is presented. A global error measure for evaluation of the convergence is proposed. Numerical simulations of an air saturated polyurethane foam material show faster convergence for the hierarchical extensions than for linear and quadratic serendipity finite element mesh refinement extensions.


Nowadays, there are a lot of IT Careers (ITC) which are not stored in a hierarchical structure of ITC specification and matching search based on keyword have widely use search which cannot acquire satisfactory search results. The essential reason is that traditional ITC search lacks semantic. In this paper, we propose searching ITC concepts based on ontology which is associated specification with semantic annotation. IT Careers Ontology (ITCO) defined structure consists of three main parts: IT Career Category, IT Skill and IT Education which are described with announcing the recruitment on web jobs ads that are instances of a models. The experimental results show that semantic search ITC can overcome limitations of search by comparison with traditional keyword search mode, and achieve higher recall ration and precision ratio.  Index Term—semantic search, ontology, OWL-QL, IT careers.


Increased awareness regarding risks associated with intracorporeal electromechanical, or power, morcellation has urged surgeons to develop alternative methods for tissue extraction that may mitigate some of these risks during surgery. The use of containment systems during laparoscopic procedures has allowed surgeons to continue to offer and perform myomectomies that still benefit from being minimally invasive but which may minimize the risk of inadvertent tissue dispersion. Here, we will review techniques for performing contained tissue fragmentation without the use of a power morcellator.


Osipo et al. (1) report the paradoxical action of fulvestrant in estradiol-induced regression of tamoxifen-stimulated breast cancer. In their article, they proposed a two-phase evolution of acquired resistance to tamoxifen. A novel mechanism, called phase II resistance by the authors, was observed after long-term treatment with tamoxifen. The growth of these MCF-7TAMLT breast tumors became dependent on tamoxifen. In the experimental systems, physiologic levels of estradiol were able to induce tumor regression; in this specific hormonal environment, second-line treatment with fulvestrant promoted growth of those tumors. In an accompanying editorial, which we have read with interest, Hayes (2) suggested that Osipo's data might argue against the use of fulvestrant in patients with tumor progression after aromatase inhibitor therapy was discontinued because of the reappearance of sufficient estrogen levels that could stimulate tumor growth. Extrapolation of these laboratory results into the clinical setting appears to contradict the results of an ongoing multicenter phase II trial conducted by the Swiss Group for Clinical Cancer Research (SAKK). Patients with advanced breast cancer who progressed on prior endocrine therapy, first with tamoxifen and later with nonsteroidal aromatase inhibitors, were treated with fulvestrant


Product standards are omnipresent in industrialized societies. Though standardization can be beneficial for domestic producers, divergent product standards have been categorized as a major obstacle to international trade. This paper quantifies the effect of standard harmonization on trade flows and characterizes the extent to which it changes the cost and demand structure of exporting.


Loin pain hematuria syndrome (LPHS) is a rare condition manifested by flank pain, hematuria, and occasional low-grade fevers. Usually there are no physical findings other than hematuria. Although numerous etiological theories exist, the pathophysiology of LPHS is unknown and diagnosis remains one of exclusion. Renal autotransplantation has been suggested as an effective procedure to control the severe and debilitating pain. However, pain often recurs in the long term. This paper reviews our experiences with the diagnosis and management of this condition.


Background
A number of different approaches aimed at broadening the cross-protective ability of seasonal influenza vaccines are being explored today. Priming a seasonal vaccine with three administrations of DNA encoding H1 HA corresponding to the HA in the seasonal vaccine has been shown to confer protection against heterologous H1N1 influenza. Here we evaluated the heterosubtypic protection induced by a seasonal influenza vaccine when primed with H1 HA DNA and, in parallel, when given as a homologous prime/boost regimen.
Methods
Balb/c mice were immunized three times with vaccine homologous H1 HA DNA prior to a boost with seasonal influenza vaccine (season 2009/2010; Northern Hemisphere), or immunized three times with the seasonal influenza vaccine. To assess cross-protection, mice were subsequently challenged with either heterologous H1N1 or heterosubtypic H5N1 influenza virus.
Results
The level of heterologous H1N1 protection elicited by the seasonal influenza vaccine was enhanced by priming with H1 HA DNA. In contrast, priming with H1 HA DNA did not enhance the level of heterosubtypic H5N1 protection. The heterologous prime boost regimen showed to be less efficient than multiple immunizations with seasonal vaccine in conferring protection against H5N1. Neither the DNA-priming vaccination regimen, nor the homologous prime/boost regimen induced detectable H5N1 cross-reactive anti-HA or anti-NA antibodies. Homologous prime /boost vaccination did induce higher levels of anti-NP antibodies.
Conclusion
Here we demonstrate that priming a seasonal influenza vaccine with vaccine homologous H1 HA encoding DNA enhances the level of heterologous H1N1 but not heterosubtypic protection induced by the vaccine alone. Homologous prime/boost vaccination resulted in higher levels of heterosubtypic protection. Of the immunogenicity parameters tested for both heterologous and homologous prime/boost regimens only anti-NP responses follow the same pattern as heterosubtypic protection.


This paper presents a new approach to detecting attack activities. In this method, network connections were transformed into data points in the predefined feature space. The influence function was designed to quantify the influence of an object and, further, the data field was divided into positive field and negative field according to the source pointpsilas category. To perform classification, all the labeled training samples were regarded as source points and a data field was built in the feature space. The influence felt by given testing point in the data field was calculated and its class was judged according to the sign and magnitude of the influence in detecting process. Experimental results demonstrate that our approach has good detection performance.


This article uses Richard Prince's controversial use of Instagram images in his artworks, as well as other uses preceding or arising from his use as a case study, as a basis to analyse how copyright laws in the United States (US), the United Kingdom (UK) and Australia could apply. The article also considers the application of Instagram's terms of use, before proceeding to identify the technological features on Instagram that encourage and constrain the content generative activities of Prince and other users. Users are observed to receive mixed signals as to the activities that are permissible onsite. Further, each of the terms of use and the technological features is found to deviate from the copyright regime. These deviations arguably foster incorrect expectations in users, and can compromise the effectiveness of copyright laws in regulating content generative behaviours on social media sites such as Instagram.


Parents who undertake paid work are obliged to spend time away from their children, and to use nonparental childcare. This has given rise to concern that children are missing out on parental attention. However, time-use studies have consistently shown that parents who are in paid employment do not reduce their parental childcare time on an hour-for-hour basis. Since there are only 24 hours in the day, how do parents continue to be engaged in direct care of their own children while also committing significant time to labor market activities? Using data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics Time Use Survey 1997 (4,059 randomly selected households) to compare the time allocation of employed fathers, employed mothers, and mothers who are not in the labor force, this paper investigates how this phenomenon arises. The strategies available are reducing the time devoted to other activities (principally housework, sleep, leisure, bathing, dressing, grooming, eating), and rescheduling activities (from weekends to weekdays, or changing the time of day at which particular activities are undertaken). The paper investigates whether parents use nonparental care to reschedule as well as to replace their own care.


A first step in the development of solar power from space is the flight demonstration of critical technologies. These fundamental technologies include efficient solar power collection and generation, power management and distribution, and thermal management. In addition, the integration and utilization of these technologies into a viable satellite bus could provide an energy-rich platform for a portfolio of payload experiments such as wireless power transmission (WPT). This paper presents the preliminary design of a concept for a 100 kW-class fiee-flying platform suitable for flight demonstration of technology experiments. Recent space solar power (SSP) studies by NASA have taken a stepping stones approach that lead to the gigawatt systems necessary to cost-effectively deliver power from space. These steps start with a 100 kW-class satellite, leading to a 500 kW and then a 1 MW-class platform. Later steps develop a 100 M W bus that could eventually lead to a 1-2 GW pilot plant for SSP. Our studies have shown that a modular approach is cost effective. Modular designs include individual laser-power-beaming satellites that fly in constellations or that are autonomously assembled into larger structures at geosynchronous orbit (GEO). Microwave power-beamed approaches are also modularized into large numbers of identical units of solar arrays, power converters, or supporting structures for arrays and microwave transmitting antennas. A cost-effective approach to launching these modular units is to use existing Earth-to-orbit (ETO) launch systems, in which the modules are dropped into low Earth orbit (LEO) and then the modules perform their own orbit transfer to GEO using expendable solar arrays to power solar electric thrusters. At GEO, the modules either rendezvous and are assembled robotically into larger platforms, or are deployed into constellations of identical laser power-beaming satellites. Since solar electric propulsion by the modules is cost-effective for both self-transport of the modules from LEO to GEO, and for on-orbit stationkeeping and repositioning capability during the satellite's lifetime, this technology is also critical in technology development for SSP. The 100 kW-class technology demonstrator will utilize advanced solar power collection and generation technologies, power management and distribution, advanced thermal management, and solar electric propulsion. State-of-the-art solar concentrators, highly efficient multi-junction solar cells, integrated thermal management on the arrays, and innovative deployable structure design and packaging make the 100 kW satellite feasible for launch on one existing launch vehicle. Early SSP studies showed that a major percentage of the on-orbit mass for power-beaming satellites was from massive power converters at the solar arrays, at the bus, at the power transmitter, or at combinations of these locations. Higher voltage mays and power management and distribution (PMAD) systems reduce or eliminate the need for many of these massive power converters, and could enable direct-drive of high-voltage solar electric thrusters. Lightweight, highly efficient thermal management systems are a critical technology that must be developed and flown for SSP feasibility. Large amounts of power on satellites imply that large amounts of waste heat will need to be managed. In addition, several of the more innovative lightweight configurations proposed for SSP satellites take advantage of solar concentrators that are intractable without advanced thermal management technologies for the solar arrays. These thermal management systems include efficient interfaces with the WPT systems or other high-power technology experiments, lightweight deployable radiators that can be easily integrated into satellite buses, and efficient reliable thermal distribution systems that can pipe heat from the technology experiments to the radiators. In addition to demonstrating the integration and use of these mission-ctical technologies, the 100 kw-class satellite will provide a large experiment deck for a portfolio of technology experiments. Current plans for this technology demonstrator allow 2000 kg of payload capability and up to 100 kW of power. The technology experiments could include one or more wireless power transmission demonstrations, either to the Earth s surface or to a suitable space-based receiver. Technology experiments to quantify the on-orbit performance of critical technologies for SSP or space exploration are welcomed. In addition, the technology experiments provide an opportunity for international cooperation, to advance technology readiness levels of SSP technologies that require flight demonstration. This paper will present the preliminary design for a 100 kW solar-powered satellite and a variety of technology experiments that may be suitable for flight demonstration. In addition, a space-to-Earth-surface WPT experiment will be discussed.


The present study was designed to display the role of Trehalose / Sucrose addition to TrisFructose-Egg yolk-Glycerol extender on the rate of freezability and post-thawed characters of buffalo frozen semen. For extension and freezing, buffalo semen samples were extended in Tris-Fructose-Egg yolk-Glycerol without the addition of Trehalose / Sucrose as a control (TFEG-C) and with the addition of different concentrations of Trehalose or Sucrose. The best sperm motility, sperm livability, sperm abnormality, sperm cell membrane and DNA integrities appeared with TFEG-T100 mM/l (33.50±1.50%, 69.40±2.11%, 11.60±0.67%, 64.00±2.76%, 96.50±0.92 and 11.60±0.67%, respectively) and TFEG-S50 mM/l (33.00±2.81%, 68.80±2.25%, 10.40±0.54%, 66.10±2.68% and 95.60±1.44%, respectively). From the present study, it can be concluded that addition of Trehalose (100 mM/l) / sucrose (50 mM/l) to Tris-Fructose-Egg yolk-Glycerol extender might help in improvement of the post-thawed characteristics of buffalo frozen semen.


The need for a quantum-mechanical formalism for systems with dissipation which is applicable to the radiation field of a cavity is discussed. Two methods that have been used in this connection are described. The first, which starts with the classical Newtonian equation of motion for a damped oscillator and applies the conventional formal quantization techniques, leads to an exact solution; but subsequent discussion shows that this method is invalid, the results being unacceptable from a quantum-mechanical viewpoint. The second method, which considers the interaction of two systems, the lossless oscillator and the loss mechanism, is adopted in the present article. No special model is used for the loss mechanism, but this mechanism is assumed to have a large number of densely-spaced energy states.
The approximations with respect to the loss mechanism that underlie the concept of dissipation are discussed. These approximations are then applied to the analysis, and a differential equation for a coordinate operator of the harmonic oscillator is obtained which has the formal appearance of the Newtonian equation of motion for a driven damped harmonic oscillator, the driving term being an operator referring to the loss mechanism. The presence of the driving term is responsible for the difference between the present theory and that of the first method mentioned above. A solution of the differential equation for the coordinate operator is given explicitly. An examination of the physical significance of the solution shows that the driving term is responsible not only for the thermal fluctuations which are due to the loss mechanism, but also for the proper commutation relationship of the conjugate coordinates of the oscillator and for its zero-point fluctuations.
A generalization of the solution to provide for a classical driving force and coupled atomic systems is given. The results are then restated in a form that refers to the loss mechanism only through the two parameters by which it is usually described—the dissipation constant and the temperature.


This paper engages with current discussions concerning the ways in which human cultures construct the sphere labelled as "social" against that of the broadly defined environment. I contribute to these discussions with an analysis of the didactic Buddhist literature of Buryat-Mongols (19th–beg. 20th century), focusing on the image of non-human animals and their position in the social/universal order. With the emergence of environmentalist trends in the humanities, pre-modern/"non-Western" inter-species relationships have often served as counter-alternatives to the problematic "Western" nature-culture dichotomy. While expecting to see the human being described as a part of "nature" in the analyzed texts, I found a different picture: the anthropocentric social sphere is clearly distinguished from animals, and in some fragments, the idioms used with regard to animals are reminiscent of European evolutionist discourse. Through an exhaustive analysis of Buryat attitudes towards animals is beyond the scope of this study, this literature gives insight into a particular cultural discourse as represented in reputed sources of the period.


The Chaoshan intrusion in Tongling area, within the uplift of lower Yangtze depression in the northeastern margin of Yangtze Plate in geotectonic, is a small apophysis of late Mesozoic, and its lithology is grey black pyroxene mozodiorite porphyry. It is porphyritic, phenocrysts (0.5mm7mm) are composed of plagioclase (about 15%), alkali feldspar (5-10%), clinopyroxene (15%), brown amphibole (10%), biotite (1-2%) and magnetite (1%), set in a phaneritic anhedral groundmass(47%) of plagioclase, alkali feldspar, pyroxene and opaque minerals(15%). The accessory mineral is apatite. The disequilibria textures in the Chaoshan intrusion, including the An-rich plagioclase resorbed core, acicular apatite inclusion zone in plagioclase, resorbed pyroxene core, spike zone in the plagioclase, resorbed more sodic plagioclases included by the zoned plagioclases, and so on, are consistent with the magma mixing model. The authors have studied the composition of its feldspar with complex resorption and overgrowth from core to rim by electronic probe.


There is a scarcity of systematic reports on the prevalence of depression in Chinese elderly populations. The available reports used a variety of diagnostic and screening instruments to identify elderly depression. Furthermore, samples were drawn from different elderly populations. In spite of these difficulties, the reports are consistent in terms of the prevalence rates of severe depression which is lower than those reported in Western studies; though the prevalence rates of depressive symptoms approach those of most Western countries. However, the Chinese elderly showed a particular sensitivity to social factors either as vulnerability or protection factors for depression. There is a consistent social dimension in depressive complaints by Chinese elderly; hence the need to construct specific culturally sensitive instruments and to establish within ethnic group norms and diagnostic criteria for elderly depression. Current intervention efforts to prevent and ameliorate depression in the community‐dwelling elderly will be discussed.


In many practical situations, a flame may appear inside a vessel and start to propagate inside the connected pipes. It may be a very hazardous situation and several mitigation means were developed to stop the subsequent explosion escalation (chemical barriers, gate valves, flap valves, diverters). There is a need to better understand the development of the explosion in such a situation. Unpublished data are presented in the present paper using mainly the ISO 1 m3 vessel connected to ducts with an internal diameter varying between 100 mm and 440 mm (length between 0 and 10 m). Four very different dusts were used. In all situations a strong link is found between the vessel overpressure and the flame velocity along the duct. Moreover, all along the period during which the flame rushes down the pipe, the discharge of the vessel is severely impeded and this phenomenon is believed to explain the very significant incidence of even a relatively short portion of duct on the explosion overpressure inside the duct as claimed into the vent dimensioning standards.


We present briefly the activity of the Warsaw University. computational linguistics team. The team is an informal group that consolidates around a seminar at the Institute of Informatics, coordinated by Prof. Zygmunt Saloni. The group adheres to a "bootstrapping methodology": we focus on developing surface linguistic descriptions which should allow the creation of efficient tools for low-level processing of natural language texts, in the hope that it will pay when more sophisticated problems are attacked.


Questionnaires assessing mental health, job satisfaction, psychological job demands and job control were distributed randomly to 1000 GPs and 400 white-collar workers in the North of England. First, levels of mental health and job satisfaction were compared between the groups. GPs were significantly more depressed and less satisfied with their job compared to the white-collar sample. Surprisingly, female GPs experienced similar levels of poor mental health and job dissatisfaction as their male counterparts. Secondly, GPs were classified according to Karasek's (1979) job strain model as 'high strain' GPs (defined as high demands & low job control), 'active' GPs (high demands & high control), 'passive' GPs (low demands & low control) and 'low strain' GPs (low demands & high control). As hypothesised, 'high strain' GPs exhibited significantly greater levels of job dissatisfaction and depressive symptoms (e.g. suicidal ideation, loss of sexual interest, feeling hopeless about the future) than all other groups, with 38% scoring equal to or above the threshold for potential clinical depression. These findings are considered within the job strain paradigm and the implications for patient care and future interventions are discussed.


The purification of reaction mixtures is a slow process in organic synthesis, especially during the production of large numbers of analogs and compound libraries. Phase-tag methods such as solid-phase synthesis and fluorous synthesis, provide efficient ways of addressing the separation issue. Fluorous synthesis employs functionalized perfluoroalkyl groups attached to substrates or reagents. The separation of the resulting fluorous molecules can be achieved using strong and selective fluorous liquid-liquid extraction, fluorous silica gel-based solid-phase extraction or high-performance liquid chromatography. Fluorous technology is a novel solution-phase method, which has the advantages of fast reaction times in homogeneous environments, being readily adaptable to literature conditions, having easy intermediate analysis, and having flexibility in reaction scale and scope. In principle, any synthetic methods that use a solid-support could be conducted in solution-phase by replacing the polymer linker with a corresponding fluorous tag. This review summarizes the progress of fluorous tags in solution-phase synthesis of small molecules, peptides and oligosaccharides.


The acute haemodynamic effect of metoprolol was investigated in 14 patients with essential hypertension (7 of the WHO stage I, 7 of stage II). The evaluated parameters include the mean arterial blood pressure (MBP), heart rate (HR), cardiac index (CI), total peripheral resistance (TPR) and capillary blood flow of the forearm muscle (CBF). Investigation was carried out within two days: the 1st day at rest and after an infusion of 20% mannitol, the 2nd day with additional previous intravenous administration of 5 mg of metoprolol. The findings were as follows: 1. There was a decrease of MBP, a slowdown of HR and a decrease of CBF after metoprolol both in hypertensives I and II. 2. The different haemodynamic response of the Ist and IInd stages of essential hypertension was manifested by a significant decrease of CI and an increase of TPR in hypertensives II (but not I) not only after the infusion of mannitol alone, but also after i.v. administration of metoprolol. The exaggerated haemodynamic response to acute metoprolol administration in essential hypertension II could be caused by latently impaired cardiac performance in this stage.


Hark—the Tiddy Mun, lurching from the murk. Beware Will-o'-the-Wisp, seducing benighted travelers into the swamp. Hear the padding of the Black Shuck. The incumbents of moors, marshes, fens, and levels mobilized their extra-territorium poaching, smuggling, distilling, arms caching, and rough justice activities unimpeded through perpetuating imaginaries of fear and anxiety. Disorientating wetland mythologies and folklore still resonate today within our contemporary cultural and literary narratives of these paludal spaces. This article explores how these uncanny representations compromise wetlands' future protection. Wetlands' carbon sequestration, floodwater storage, and biodiversity properties contribute significantly to climate change adaptation strategies. Yet delinquency, vandalism, fly-tipping, and arson in these waterscapes evidence continued contemporary human disregard. Empirical findings from the WetlandLIFE project show the diverse ways in which these narratives are being shifted toward a "nowtopian" framing, to encourage people to use and value wetlands differently, to prevent further degradation of these complex, vital, and unruly landscapes.


We present a computational protocol, based on density matrix perturbation theory, to obtain non-adiabatic, frequency-dependent electron–phonon self-energies for molecules and solids. Our approach enables the evaluation of electron–phonon interaction using hybrid functionals, for spin-polarized systems, and the computational overhead to include dynamical and non-adiabatic terms in the evaluation of electron–phonon self-energies is negligible. We discuss results for molecules, as well as pristine and defective solids.


After evidence of the cysteinylated precursors of 3-sulfanyl-4-methylpentan-1-ol (Cys-26) and 3-sulfanylhexan-1-ol (Cys-23) in hop, S-glutathione precursors (G-23 and G-26) were recently discovered in different dual-purpose hop varieties. Because free 3-sulfanylpentan-1-ol (21) has also been detected in hop, the present work aimed to identify its potential precursors. The compounds S-3-(1-hydroxylpentyl)cysteine (Cys-21) and S-3-(1-hydroxylpentyl)glutathione (G-21) were first synthesized and characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance and high-resolution mass spectrometry. High-performance liquid chromatography-positive electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry evidenced both for the first time in hop. Both S conjugates were further quantitated in six hop samples: the well-known Saaz, Amarillo, Citra, Hallertau Blanc, Nelson Sauvin, and Polaris. Similar to G-23, G-21 appeared ubiquitous to all varieties. Of all of the samples investigated here, Citra (harvest 2017) emerged as the richest in G-21, with 18 mg/kg of dry matter. Cys-21 was found in all samples at a much lower concentration (up to 0.2 mg/kg of dry matter in Polaris, harvest 2017). Model media spiked with Cys-21 or G-21 allowed for the confirmation that brewing yeast is able to release free compound 21 from them.


Feedback, non-antibiotic drug recommendations, and patient factors were examined to develop ways to reduce use of inappropriate antibiotics for Upper Respiratory Tract infections (URTIs). 3,220 encounters for URTIs over six months were reported by 45 family physicians who recorded consecutive patients and noted drugs recommended, diagnosis, and patient characteristics. After two months baseline data collection, physicians received feedback about their own and peers antibiotic prescribing, and the effect of this on their prescriptions was studied.Patients recommended 'over the counter drugs' were less likely to be given antibiotics for acute bronchitis (OR, 0.22; 95% CI, 0.13-0.38; P<0.0001), pharyngitis (OR, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.29-0.75; P=0.0001), acute sinusitis (OR, 0.08; 95% CI, 0.03-0.22; P<0.0001), and acute otitis media (AOM) (OR, 0.27; 95% CI, 0.11-0.65; P=0.004). Prescriptions for drugs other than antibiotics were also negatively associated with antibiotics for acute bronchitis (OR, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.31-0.78; P=0.003) and acute sinusitis (OR, 0.29; 95% CI, 0.12-0.72; P=0.007). Adults (OR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.1-3.0;P=0.03), males (OR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.0-2.5; P=0.05), and patients with co-morbidity (OR, 2.4; 95% CI, 1.4-4.0; P=0.001) were more likely to be prescribed antibiotics for acute bronchitis.After feedback antibiotic prescribing decreased from 42% to 34% of encounters (χ=16, p<0.0001) and use of the first choice antibiotics recommended in the Ontario guidelines increased from 45% to 56% (χ=10, p=0.002). The results suggest feedback would be an effective means to improve antibiotic prescribing, and recommendations of non-antibiotic therapies would lead to decreased antibiotic use.


The placement of SMD components is usually performed with Cartesian type robots, a task known as pick-and-place (P&P). Small Selective Compliance Articulated Robot Arm (SCARA) robots are also growing in popularity for this use because of their quick and accurate performance. This paper describes the use of the Lean Robotic Micromanufacturing (LRM) framework applied on a large, 10kg payload, industrial SCARA robot for PCB assembly. The LRM framework guided the precision evaluation of the PCB assembly process and provided a prediction of the placement precision and yield. We experimentally evaluated the repeatability of the system, as well as the resulting collective errors during the assembly. Results confirm that the P&P task can achieve the required assembly tolerance of 200 microns without employing closed-loop visual servoing, therefore considerably decreasing the system complexity and assembly time.


We document a case in which the mating plug of the scorpion Vaejovis punctatus seems correlated with a reduction in female sexual receptivity. We used two morphological and behavioral analyses. The mating plug was dissected and described from both males and females: it bears a set of spines and two enlarged terminations which possibly allow anchoring to the female inside and impede removal. Behavioral observations support this view: after sperm transfer ended, the female tried to remove the plug by rubbing the ventral side of her body using her second and third pair of legs. This pattern was also performed after mate separation. All females seemed unable to displace the plug and rejected male mating attempts. The mating plug suffered a progressive degradation into the female. This degradation was completed 2 or 3 mo prior to parturition, so that the plug did not seem a barrier for the emergence of embryos. Furthermore, females bearing mating plugs in different degradation stages did not accept another mating during the reproductive season, and sexual acceptance was reinitiated only after parturition. The mating plug therefore seems to correlate with a lost in mating activity. The comparison of this structure with that of other scorpion species allows us to hypothesize a sexual coevolutionary scenario in which the effectiveness of the plug to inhibit female remating may lie at the center of such interaction.


Baia Mare, with its long-lasting mining and metallurgical tradition, is one of the country's most problematic cities in terms of historical pollution and resulting consequences. This paper is the final chapter of a complex three-part work and aims to present a series of air pollution effects on public health in Baia Mare between 1980 and 2006. The first part focused on an overall view of historical air pollution sources in Baia Mare. The second part presented the evolution of air quality in Baia Mare and highlighted the chronic air pollution, consisting of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, ammonia, particulate matter, and heavy metals between 1995 and 2006. The historical environmental (including air) pollution in Baia Mare had 3 main sources: National Company of Precious and Nonferrous Metals (NCPNM) - Remin Corporation; Cuprom Corporation; Romplumb Corporation. The three companies were active for decades and, until the early 2000s, environmental protection was not a priority of their technological process management. After the year 2000, investments in ecological technologies were undersized, and the 2008 economic crisis affected the companies' activity. Air quality in Baia Mare between 1995 and 2006, as well as prior to this period, was particularly critical due to high concentrations in particulate matter with high lead and cadmium content, but also due to high sulphur dioxide concentrations between 1995 and 2000. A direct consequence of inadequate air quality was the deterioration of the city inhabitants' health. The paper is based on data provided by the Maramures Public Health Directorate, World Health Organization reports, Cluj Napoca Hygiene and Public Health Institute reports, as well as Romanian and foreign experts who conducted investigations on air pollution-related illnesses in the study area. Our historical analytical approach mainly aims to address the effects of the technological processes of the Cuprom and Romplumb companies on the health of their employees and of the local population. One of the main causes for the high incidence of respiratory diseases in the local population was the historical pollution in the analyzed area, which had cumulative effects over time. In addition to these illnesses, it was found that in the study area, between 1980 and 2006, a more notable deterioration of public health occurred compared to other settlements (lower life expectancy, higher overall mortality index, more frequent D 2 avitaminosis and metabolic conditions linked to lead pollution, etc.), and one of the main reasons was the city's chronic air pollution. Morbidity reports were generally dominated by acute and chronic respiratory diseases, and digestive and cardiovascular disorders. National Company of Precious and Nonferrous Metals (NCPNM) - Remin and Romplumb Corporations are currently in a state of insolvency, and Cuprom Corporation is bankrupt, which resulted in an improvement of air quality in the study area.


Previous path guiding techniques typically rely on spatial subdivision structures to approximate directional target distributions, which may cause failure to capture spatio-directional correlations and introduce parallax issue. In this paper, we present Neural Parametric Mixtures (NPM), a neural formulation to encode target distributions for path guiding algorithms. We propose to use a continuous and compact neural implicit representation for encoding parametric models while decoding them via lightweight neural networks. We then derive a gradient-based optimization strategy to directly train the parameters of NPM with noisy Monte Carlo radiance estimates. Our approach efficiently models the target distribution (incident radiance or the product integrand) for path guiding, and outperforms previous guiding methods by capturing the spatio-directional correlations more accurately. Moreover, our approach is more training efficient and is practical for parallelization on modern GPUs.


The function condition of hepatobiliar system was investigaited in 120 pregnant with cholestatic hepatosis. The main criteria of cholestatic hepatosis severity were skin itching accompanied with increasing of biliar acids levels, transaminazes activities, alkaline phosphatase and cholesterol levels. Based on clinical and laboratory dates the outcomes of pregnancy and delivery were analysed. There were revealed that pregnancy loss, gestosis, placental insufficiency, IUGR and fetal hypoxia were met more often in groups with middle- and high severe cholestatic hepatosis.


Randomness extractors are functions that extract almost-uniform bits from sources of biased and correlated bits. The original motivation for extractors was to simulate randomized algorithms with weak random sources as might arise in nature. This motivation is still compelling, but extractors have taken on a much wider significance in the years since they were introduced. They have found numerous applications in theoretical computer science beyond this initial motivating one, in areas from cryptography to distributed algorithms to hardness of approximation. More importantly from the perspective of this survey, they have played a major unifying role in the theory of pseudoran-domness. Indeed, the links between the various pseudorandom objects we are studying in this survey (expander graphs, randomness extrac-tors, list-decodable codes, pseudorandom generators, samplers) were all discovered through work on extractors (even though now we find it more natural to present these links in the language of list decoding, as introduced in Section 5.3).


It is argued that projects and programs designed to meet the practical needs of men, women, and children in communities should also focus on meeting the strategic gender needs of women. This paper shows what project planners can do to ensure women¿s participation in the design and maintenance of development projects without increasing their workloads, and with the goal of raising their status in the family and society, as well as challenging men's prejudice. It utilizes the framework of strategic and practical gender needs in the context of the drinking-water sector, to argue that understanding how these needs are linked is important to the sustainability of drinking-water projects. Overall, this paper pointed out the great need to involve women in the management of water projects in order for it to be effective in reducing the burdens of the people. Moreover, all development initiatives, including improvements in water supply, should have explicit focus on improving women status and increasing their confidence. Meeting such gender needs requires real commitment from concerned individuals on all levels as well as budgetary provision to enhance the capacity of the involved sector, and heighten their awareness. Fulfillment of their strategic gender needs, will in turn, contribute to the sustainability of water projects.


While addressing the recent convocation ceremony of Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, Nigeria's Minister of Education, Sam Egwu assured the millions of unemployed and poor youth lacking employability skills that technical education would enjoy more government support in 2010 because of the role of technology in national development. Previous administrations have raised their hope by painting glowing pictures of their development plans and promised that youth empowerment would become their top priority. Yet they have failed to properly fund education and to restructure the curriculum to prepare the youth for the world of work as well as to create employment for the millions of graduates churn out by the educational institutions yearly. This paper argues that without addressing the challenges facing education in general, and technical and vocational education in particular, the youth will continue to face soaring unemployment, underemployment and poverty and the nation will remain underdeveloped.


We study the interaction of a proto-planetary disk and a planet on a highly inclined orbit in the linear regime. The evolution of the planet is dominated by dynamical friction for planet masses above several Earth-masses. Smaller planets are dominated by aerodynamic drag, especially for very high inclinations and retrograde orbits.
The time-scales associated with migration and inclination damping are calculated. For certain values of the inclination, the inclination damping time-scale is longer than the migration time-scale and the disk lifetime. This result shows that highly inclined planets can not (re-)align with the proto-planetary disk.
We discuss the dependence of numerical simulations on the gravitational softening parameter. We find only a logarithmic dependence, making global three dimensional simulations of this process computationally feasible.
A large fraction of Hot Jupiters is on highly inclined orbits with respect to the rotation axis of the star. On the other hand small-mass planetary systems discovered by the Kepler mission have low mutual inclinations. This shows that there are two distinct formation mechanisms at work. The process that creates inclined Hot Jupiters does not operate on small mass planets because the damping timescales are so long that these systems would still be inclined today.


It has become something of a cliche to say that avant-garde literature died in France in the early 1980s. Yet, while it is evident that the beginning of the decade marked a turn in literary history, it is also clear that experimental writing practices have emerged since then, and that any assertion of the death of (post)modernism must therefore be relativized. This article considers the work of one writer, Olivier Cadiot, who entered the literary scene with fracas in 1988 with the publication of L'Art poetic'. Over a period of roughly thirty years, Cadiot has questioned what it means to read and write literature through producing a body of imaginative and theoretically dense cross-genre works. In so doing, he has asserted the creative and intellectual vibrancy of contemporary literary practices in the face of discourse which identifies French literature as being in a state of decline. This article was published open access under a CC BY license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/


Analytical and numerical models, validated against published data, were developed to calculate the velocity and time of arrival duration (ToAD) of the flyer-plasma material at the top of the barrel of an exploding foil initiator (EFI), as commonly used in explosive devices. Such tools will aid system designers in the optimization of capacitor discharge circuit (CDC) or EFI bridge material properties. The analytical elements of the approach developed support the requirement for the consideration of mass ejection variation with respect to initial capacitor voltage. The numerical elements of the approach developed demonstrate that EFI design alteration to increase flyer mass is less effective in reducing ToAD than supply voltage modulation via the CDC. This finding is of particular relevance for in situ control of functional performance characteristics. This work goes on to demonstrate that such control is impracticable when using hexanitrostilbene, since the initial capacitor voltages necessary to yield appropriate ToAD for deflagration deliver insufficient energy to instigate a response from the EFI.


Activities of the multicatalytic proteinase complex (MPC) were detected in turtle (Trachemys scripta elegans) liver. The ratio of peptidylglutamyl-peptide bond hydrolyzing, trypsin-like, and chymotrypsin-like activities was 6:2.7:1 for the MPC partially purified by Sepharose CL-6B gel filtration. Molecular mass of the turtle liver enzyme was 940 +/- 46 kD. Nondenaturing PAGE revealed a single band containing MPC activity reacting with peptide substrate. In vivo anoxia exposure (20 h submergence in N2-bubbled water) and subsequent 24 h aerobic recovery stimulated changes in liver protease activity. Peptidylglutamyl-peptide bond hydrolyzing activity of the partially purified MPC increased by 29% during aerobic recovery. Elevated MPC activity during recovery may serve to catabolize specific stress-related proteins or to remove proteins damaged by oxygen free radicals generated upon the reintroduction of oxygen.


As it is the aim of the International Journal of Haptonomy and Haptotherapy (IJHH) to provide a discussion forum on developments in practices concerning the field of haptonomy and haptotherapy, we were very happy to receive an invitation in April 2018 from the Westchester Group Psychotherapy Society, New York USA. They asked to send in a proposal for a haptotherapy workshop, a biography and a literature list. Our highly intellectualized world makes high demands on our cognitive selves at the expense of our sense of touch. We often do not realize the benefits of integrating touch in therapy. A workshop was proposed which would explore the world of tactile sensations within ourselves and within a group. The applied teaching methods included lecture, experiential exercises and discussion. The learning objective was to introduce the group to several important phenomena associated with touch. The participants would learn to feel and discover the place in their body where they are centered, carry themselves and find their basic trust. They would also learn how to integrate tactile experiences into group therapy. The proposal was accepted and a request was made to build a workshop around the theme "Can haptotherapy be integrated into group psychotherapy?".


We develop a theory of k-partitions of the set of infinite words recognizable by classes of finite automata. The theory enables to complete proofs of existing results about topological classifications of the (aperiodic) omega-regular k-partitions and provides tools for dealing with other similar questions. In particular, we characterize the structure of Wadge degrees of (aperiodic) omega-regular $k$-partitions, prove the decidability of many related problems, and discuss their complexity.


Scanning elastic lidar, which can operate in different slant directions, is the most appropriate remote sensing tool for investigating the optical properties of smoke-polluted atmospheres. However, the commonly used methodologies of multiangle measurements are based on the assumption of horizontal stratification of the searched atmosphere1,2. When working in real atmospheres, even a slight deviation from the required atmospheric stratification may result in an unacceptable measurement error, especially, in clear atmospheres which contain local layering with increased backscattering.


Chronic migraine (that is to say, cases where migraine is suffered on 15 or more days per month) is an illness that affects approximately 0.5-2.5% of the population, depending on the statistics that are analysed and the definition of chronic migraine used. The incidence of transformation from episodic to chronic migraine is 3% per year, and 6% go from low-frequency (1-9 days/month) to high-frequency migraine (10-14 days/month). The risk factors for developing chronic migraine are genetic, frequent use of painkillers, being female, having poor hygienic-dietary habits, developing anxiety/depression, having a low socioeconomic status, suffering from obesity and being divorced or widowed. Despite the modification of the risk factors, it has still not been proved that the chances of developing chronic migraine can be lowered. Chronic migraine has an important impact on patients' quality of life, as measured on disability, quality of life and impact on daily activities scales. These patients have twice the chance of suffering from depression, anxiety and chronic pain, which means they therefore need greater health care. Many have still to be diagnosed and treated, however. In a Spanish epidemiological study, a follow-up was carried out on patients with chronic daily headache after undergoing a therapeutic intervention and up to 60% of the patients showed improvement. In other words, with increased interest and diagnosis of this illness, many patients would benefit from suitable treatments.


The physical properties relating to 4f electrons in cerium phosphide, especially the temperature dependence and the isomorphous transition that occurs at around 10 GPa, were studied by means of x-ray powder diffraction and charge density distribution maps derived by the maximum-entropy method. The compressibility of CeP was exactly determined using a helium pressure medium and the anomaly that indicated the isomorphous transition was observed in the compressibility. We also discuss the anisotropic charge density distribution of Ce ions and its temperature dependence.