Background
Spinal instrumentation using rods and screws have become procedure of choice for posterior fixation. Vertebral artery anatomy is highly variable in this region posing challenges during surgery. Our study used 3D printer model to understand the anatomy and variations in vertebral artery in live patients thereby providing an accurate idea about vertebral artery injury risk in these patients preoperatively and to rehearse the whole procedure.

Methods
Ten patients of developmental craniovertebral junction (CVJ) anomalies who were planned for operative intervention in the Department of Neurosurgery at SMS Hospital from February 2016 to December 2016 were analysed using a 3D printer model.

Results
Out of twenty vertebral arteries studied in ten patients, two were hypoplastic and out of these one could not be appreciated on 3D printer model. Out of remaining nineteen, thirteen arteries were found to lie outside the joint, three were in lateral third, one traversed the middle third of joint and one lied in medial third. In one patient, the vertebral artery was stretched and it traversed horizontally over the joint. Out of ten patients studied, nine were having occipitalised atlas and so entry of these vertebral arteries into cranium were classified as given by Wang et al. into four types.

Conclusions
By our study, 3D printer model was extremely helpful in analyzing joints and vertebral artery preoperatively and making the surgeon acquainted about the placement and trajectory of the screws accordingly. In our opinion, these models should be included as a basic investigation tool in these patients.


As has been abundantly documented in the popular and academic press, the humanities are facing challenging times marked by national debate regarding the importance of the humanities in higher education, program and budget cuts, and an ever-decreasing number of tenure-track jobs. In addition, the humanities face quite literally a quantification of their value as the Academy adopts a more corporate mindset. This volume provides advice to professionals in the humanities on how to forge a useful, compelling, and productive career. The book's 13 chapters address professional approaches to developing and maintaining an active research agenda, fomenting the ideals of the teacher-scholar model, managing the service demands within and outside the college or university, and navigating institutional politics. The collection offers practical and theoretical approaches to higher education, personal anecdotes, intelligent advice, and interviews with colleagues in the humanities. Specific themes addressed include the transition from graduate student to humanities professional, diverging from prescribed paths, the humanities professor as creative writer, moving from secondary to post-secondary education, humanities in an international, market-based context, and participation in governance structures.


Eli M. Pearce, a candidate for president of the ACS, gives his views on the educational issues confronting the American Chemical Society.


The industrial zone of Le Havre in the River Sein e Estuary (France) is characterized by the presence of several major sources of SO 2 emissions, with several refineries and a large pow er plant. The air quality in the area is under the supervision of the AIR NORMAND Air Quality Management Board, which operates an extended network of automatic stations. There were a l arge number of SO 2 episodes during year 2007 when observed concentrations were above regulatory limits: this situation has driven the Regional Authority for Industry Research and Environment (DREAL) to undertake the detailed numerical simulation of all episodes, in or der to determine with precision the emission reductions that had to be imposed to compl y with EU regulations. The simulation of all the 77 episodes observed duri ng year 2007 was performed, with a very high spatia l resolution (down to 100m) and a time step of 15mn for averaged SO 2 concentrations, using full 3D simulation tools. Th e SO 2 emissions from all the main stacks of the "Top 3" industrial sources were defined on an hourly bas is. A sequence of nested mesoscale meteorological models (MM5 + NSWIFT) was used to represent the flow over the Seine Estuary, and a 3D Lagrangian Dispersion model (SPRAY) was used to simulate the time dependent SO 2 concentration distributions. The paper presents the comparisons between model results and measurements and the model evaluation conclusions, and focuses on the difficulties of high-resolution micro-meteorologica l modelling in weak winds and stable conditions in an Estuary situation, with topographic and sea breeze effects. A subset of the episodes for which the quality of t he results was fairly good was selected and the res ults of the simulations for these cases have been actually applied to the computation of op timal emission reductions.


Purpose: Cervical spine fractures are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with ankylosing spondylitis. These fractures are usually the cause of minor trauma and unstable in nature and, therefore, should be treated surgically. Case report: Although the optimal choice of treatment remains a matter of discussion, combined anteroposterior or 360° fixation should be performed. Here, a case of a 48–year old male patient with an isolated C6 fracture that was treated with 360° fixation with good results is presented along with a review of the current literature on this topic. Conclusion: Fractures of the cervical spine in ankylosing spondylitis should be treated with a 360° fixation, as this method enables the best treatment results. Izvleček


Purpose

Research at the Open University Library Services has been investigating the relationship between access to online library resources and student success. The purpose of this study/paper is to help to understand whether there is a similar relationship at a distance-learning university to that found in other institutions.

Design/methodology/approach

A small library data project was established to investigate this area. The study analysed online library resource data from access logs from the EZproxy and OpenAthens systems. A data set of 1.7 million online resource accesses was combined with student success data for around 90,000 undergraduate students and a series of analyses undertaken.

Findings

The study found a pattern where students who are more successful are accessing more library resources. A chi-square test indicated a statistically significant association between library resource accesses and module result, while an ANOVA test suggests a medium-sized effect. The study also found that 152 (76 per cent) of the 199 modules had a small, medium or large positive correlation between student success, measured by the overall assessment score, and online library resource accesses.

Originality/value

This study builds on evidence that there is a relationship between library use and student success by showing that this relationship extends to the setting of a non-traditional, innovative library service supporting part-time distance learners.


Background: Significant controversy exists regarding the appropriate minimum tumor-free margin width for patients undergoing breast-conserving therapy. The SSO-ASTRO guidelines recommend 9no ink on tumor9 based upon a meta-analysis of 33 studies, but this had significant limitations. In order to address these concerns, a meta-analysis of all available data (using 31 of the initial studies) was performed but employing stricter criteria for acceptability and quality of evaluable studies. Methods: Study eligibility criteria were: (1) minimum follow-up of 50 months; (2) explicit pathologic criteria for defining margins; and (3) consistent endpoints associated with local recurrence. The compiled studies were analyzed using generalized linear mixed models for the outcome of local recurrence, with random effects for study and fixed effects for various patient and study characteristics. Results: The analysis incorporated 38 studies, which included 55,302 patients treated from 1968-2010. Two of the previous studies were excluded (one because of short follow-up, and the second because it was updated) with seven new studies added from the previous meta-analysis including an update of a previously included analysis. Median follow-up was 7.2 years. The median age of the cohort was 55 years, 74% of patients had T1 tumors, and 72% were node negative. The crude rate of local recurrence for patients with positive margins was 10.3%, compared to 3.8% for those with negative margins defined as no tumor on ink or wider (p 0- Conclusions: The current meta-analysis indicates that having margin widths 2 mm or greater is associated with a lower risk of ipsilateral breast failure than narrower but uninvolved margins. It therefore fails to confirm that 9no-tumor on ink9 is optimal. Further analyses are needed to clarify this issue, particularly to identify the critical minimum tumor-free margin for different patient subgroups. Citation Format: Shah C, Verma V, Sayles H, Recht A, Vicini F. Appropriate margins for breast conserving surgery in patients with early stage breast cancer: A meta-analysis [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2017 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2017 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(4 Suppl):Abstract nr GS5-01.


In view of the demonstration by Jackson and others 1 of the beneficial effects of pentose nucleotides in agranulocytic angina and other toxic leukopenias, the action of pentnucleotide in measles and in pertussis, both of which ordinarily exhibit quantitative or qualitative abnormalities in the leukocyte count, seemed worthy of investigation. White cell counts were made every day and differential counts every other day in sixty-three cases of measles in thirty-three of which pentnucleotide was administered, and in twenty-four cases of pertussis, in ten of which the same treatment was given. Uncomplicated early cases were selected as far as possible. Studies were begun in the cases of measles on the third day of the rash, at the latest, and in the cases of pertussis within the first five days of definite whooping. It was originally planned to administer 10 cc. of the drug intramuscularly on five consecutive days. However, this dose


Attending this virtual International Film Series may count as one of your passport events for the Scholars of Global Distinction Program. To see the selections of films for this semester, please select the appropriate tab. Three film selections will be ma


Cholesterol esters in raw skim milk differed in fatty acid composition from their composition in whole milk. The esters, isolated by chloroform-methanol extraction and preparative thin-layer chromatography, are characterized by an octadecadienoic acid content greater than 70 wt %. In all, unsaturated fatty acids contribute 90 wt % of the fatty acids in the cholesterol ester fraction of skim milk. These results with previous observations suggests that unsaturated lipids may be associated preferentially with the aqueous phase of milk.


Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide a review of the most recent literature concerning document supply and related matters.Design/methodology/approach – The approach is based on the reading of over 150 journals as well as monographs, reports and web sites.Findings – It was found that fundamental debate on the direction of scholarly publishing continues intensely. Electronic books remain a minority market but the literature at least remains optimistic. The mass digitisation of books continues apace and print on demand is becoming big business. Open access continues to grow but with continuing and widely differing views on its impact. Recent mandating decisions will mean a step change in the establishment of institutional and subject repositories. Publisher pay‐per‐view is starting to stir.Originality/value – The paper represents a useful source of information for librarians and others interested in document supply and related matters.


: In this study, 4E (energy, exergy, exergoeconomic, and exergoenvironmental) analysis of an underfloor heating system integrated with the geothermal heat pump of a greenhouse with a usage area of 90 m 2 has been made. When the results of the 4E analysis applied to the system and its elements were examined, the energy efficiency of the heating system in the winter months has been determined to be 77.85% and the exergy efficiency 30.61%. According to the results of exergoeconomic analysis, the levelized energy cost of the system has been determined as 0.894 $/h, the unit exergy cost as 0.826 $/h, and the exergoeconomic factor value as 51.12%. According to the results of the exergoenvironmental analysis, the part-based environmental impact of the system was 0.0910 mPts/s, the environmental impact value due to exergy was 0.1823 mPts/s, and the exergoenvironmental factor value was 37.77%. In addition, the equivalent CO 2 emission value that will occur if the heating requirement of the greenhouse is met with a natural gas boiler instead of a geothermal heat pump was investigated and a comparison was made between the two systems. Accordingly, it has been determined that the emission of 909.75 kg equivalent carbon dioxide to the environment will be prevented in the 4-month period, which is considered the heating season, by using the heat pump. As a result, the examined heating system has been evaluated as the effective system for heating the greenhouse, reducing energy consumption, and reducing emissions that cause environmental pollution.


Relationships between Memory-for-Designs test, Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC), and Wide Range Achievement Test (WRAT) were determined for classes of 12 and 14 educable mentally retarded children. Rank-difference rs showed that Memory-for-Designs errors correlated significantly with WISC Verbal IQs (—0.78), WISC Performance IQs (—0.85), and WISC Full Scale IQs (—0.96) for Class 1, and with WRAT Reading (—0.79) and WRAT Arithmetic (—0.70) for Class 2, implying that Memory-for-Designs may supplement the other tests in placement of children into educable mentally retarded classes. The high r (—0.96) between Memory-for-Designs and WISC Full Scale IQs indicates that a major component in intelligence is visual memory, which accounts for 84% of the variance of intelligence and suggests the possibility of improving intelligence through visual memory training in the schools.


Recent studies reported gold nano rod (AuNRs) exhibit surface plasmonic resonance frequency (SPR) proportional to their aspect ratio. The interaction of AuNRs with electromagnetic radiation corresponding to their SPR could generate local regional heat. With precise control of the aspect ratio, AuNR could interact with near-infrared (NIR) laser light in the biological optical window that best penetrate human tissues to optimize hyperthermia therapy. We exploit AuNRs to conjugate HER-2 antibodies specific for targeting tumor cells. HER-2 was reported to be associated with disease prognosis and clinical therapy and was reported to be over-expressed in many types of cancer. In this study, AuNRs was found to present high bio-compatibility and hemo-compatibility. In vitro laser induced hyperthermia study revealed a selective damage of OECM-1 cancer cells targeted by the AuNR probe. We discovered only the use of AuNR combined correct laser wavelength corresponding to SPR of the AuNR could induce effective hyperthermia therapy. In vivo model using tumor bearing SCID mice, an increase in tumor local temperature and improved therapeutic results were discovered in the AuNRs-HER2 treatment group compared to that of AuNRs alone. In conclusion, HER-2 antibodies conjugated AuNR combined NIR laser could be a potent modality in cancer targeting therapy that could minimize side effects attribute to the nanoscale precision of high temperature delivery. Besides, AuNRs showed a tunable SPR within NIR range could be applied for multiplex photo-thermal effect and combined multiple target photo-acoustic molecular imaging for combined diagnosis and therapy in a single platform.


The state ofperoxidation processes in the basal nuclei (the nucleus caudatus, globus pallidus, nucleus accumbens, amigdaloid complex) of the rat's brain under conditions of an altered photoperiod has been studied. A disturbance of regular photoperiodicity was shown to result in metabolic changes in the mentioned structures of the brain. Enhancement of the processes of lipid and protein peroxidation was observed in the basal nuclei under constant light, the intensity of fibrinolysis and proteolysis increases, the activity of the enzymes of antioxidant defense decreases. Heterodirectional changes of fibrinolysis and proteolysis in individual structures, a decrease of free radical processes against a background of accumulation of modified proteins were observed under conditions of constant darkness.


Studies on political participation, republicanism and participative democracy are on the increase. Partly, this is a consequence of the much potential that new technologies offer in order to promote political participation. Nevertheless, the studies in this field are focused on stressing the goodness of participation, leaving two important things aside. On one hand, researches in the field of Political Communication mark out the concept of political participation, and do not attend �because it is not their ambit of study- to the redefinition of the concepts of politics and the political. On the other hand, analysis in the field of Political Theory leave aside one question that, by definition, stay on the sidelines of their subject of study, but which is essential in order to understand the phenomena which is causing the connections between politics and new technologies: the form that politics is acquiring in the new public sphere, which includes the new communication media. Participative democracy emphasizes the promotion of participation and, in consequence, the development of civic virtue. The question is, ?what should we understand by civic virtue in a media society? And, ?in which way is the idea of politics influenced by the new media and the sense that communication is acquiring? These are the main questions that this paper tries to answer.


In diabetic patients, there is impairment in angiogenesis, neovascularisation and failure in matrix metalloproteineases (MMPs), keratinocyte and fibroblast functions, which affects wound healing mechanism. Hence, diabetic patients are more prone to infections and ulcers, which finally result in gangrene. Ferulic acid (FA) is a natural antioxidant found in fruits and vegetables, such as tomatoes, rice bran and sweet corn. In this study, wound healing activity of FA was evaluated in streptozotocin‐induced diabetic rats using excision wound model. FA‐treated wounds were found to epithelise faster as compared with diabetic wound control group. The hydroxyproline and hexosamine content increased significantly when compared with diabetic wound control. FA effectively inhibited the lipid peroxidation and elevated the catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione and nitric oxide levels along with the increase in the serum zinc and copper levels probably aiding the wound healing process. Hence, the results indicate that FA significantly promotes wound healing in diabetic rats.


Abstract. Determining the spatio-temporal variability of annual streamflow volume plays a relevant role in hydrology for improving and implementing sustainable and resilient policies and practices of water resource management. This study investigates annual streamflow volume trends in a newly-assembled, consolidated and validated dataset of daily mean river flow records from more than 3,000 stations, which cover near-natural basins in more than 40 countries across Europe. Although the dataset contains streamflow time-series from 1850 to 2015 in some stations, the statistical analyses were carried out by including observations from 1950 to 2015 in order to have a consistent and reliable dataset over the continent. Trends were detected calculating the slope of Theil-Sen's line over the annual anomalies of streamflow volume. The results show annual streamflow volume trends emerged at European scale, with a marked negative tendency in Mediterranean regions (about −1 × 103 m3/(km2 year)) and a generally positive trend in northern ones (about 0.5 × 103 m3/(km2 year)). The annual streamflow volume trend patterns appear in agreement with the continental-scale climate change observations in response to climate change drivers. In the Mediterranean area, the declining of annual streamflow volumes started in 1965 and since early 80' volumes are consistently lower than the average. The spatio-temporal annual streamflow volume patterns observed in this work can help to contextualize short-term trends and regional studies already available in the scientific literature as well as to provide a valid benchmark for further accurate quantitative analysis on annual streamflow volumes.


Medical AI products require certification before deployment in most jurisdictions. To date, no clear pathways for regulating medical AI exist. I present guidelines for development of a regulatory package as part of a certification process. This approach is predicated on the translation between a statistical risk perspective, typical of medical device regulators, and a deep understanding of machine learning methodologies. This work of translation will enable medical device regulators and machine learning experts to communicate more clearly, and thus lead to the development of standardised pathways for medical AI regulation.


Thank you very much for downloading solid waste management with earthworms. As you may know, people have look hundreds times for their favorite readings like this solid waste management with earthworms, but end up in malicious downloads. Rather than enjoying a good book with a cup of coffee in the afternoon, instead they cope with some malicious bugs inside their desktop computer. solid waste management with earthworms is available in our book collection an online access to it is set as public so you can download it instantly. Our book servers saves in multiple locations, allowing you to get the most less latency time to download any of our books like this one. Kindly say, the solid waste management with earthworms is universally compatible with any devices to read.


We introduce an approach for selecting objects in neural volumetric 3D representations, such as multi-plane images (MPI) and neural radiance fields (NeRF). Our approach takes a set of foreground and background 2D user scribbles in one view and automatically estimates a 3D segmentation of the desired object, which can be rendered into novel views. To achieve this result, we propose a novel voxel feature embedding that incorporates the neural volumetric 3D representation and multi-view image features from all input views. To evaluate our approach, we introduce a new dataset of human-provided segmentation masks for depicted objects in real-world multi-view scene captures. We show that our approach out-performs strong baselines, including 2D segmentation and 3D segmentation approaches adapted to our task.


Conflicts are important factors in most economic decisions at global, national and sub-national levels. However , conflict activities data are most often aggregated at the national level, which does not match with the foundation theories of conflict, and thereby complicating empirical tests(3). Recently, large data collection projects came on board to collect disaggregated events-level conflict data in certain countries, and one of these is the Armed Conflict Events and Location Database (ACLED)(6). This data article describes micro-level conflict activities relating to Nigeria, which was extracted from the ACLED. Nigeria is known to have witnessed its fair share of civil conflicts among sub-Saharan African countries, which includes the first modern warfare in the subcontinent âĂŞ the Nigeria (versus Biafra) civil war (4). The large culturally and ethnically heterogeneous Nigerian population continues to generate latent frictions and manifest conflicts. In recent times, a number of deadly militias has sprang up within the country, notable among them are the Boko Haram and pastoral herders whose activities are recognised globally (5).


A new family of DC-to-DC converters featuring clamping action, PWM modulation and soft-switching (ZVS) in both active and passive switches, is proposed to overcome the limitations of clamped mode DC-to-DC converters. The new family of converters is generated and the new circuits are presented. As the resonant circuits absorb all parasitic reactances, including transistor output capacitance and diode junction capacitance, these converters are suitable for high-frequency operation. Principle of operation, theoretical analysis, simulation and experimental results are presented, taken from a laboratory prototype rated at 1600 W, input voltage of 300 V, output voltage of 400 V, and operating at 100 kHz. The measured efficiency at full load was 98%.


ABSTRACT The article studies the dynamics of fiscal consolidation and public sector reforms in Italy and Spain under the EU governance that took shape as a reaction to the Eurozone crisis. We show how three types of EU pressure – fiscal and economic coordination rules, conditionality, and back-room diplomacy have operated in conjunction. We also show that Italy was more willing than Spain to resist EU pressure. Based on a Two-Level Game framework, we argue that this can be explained by the greater opposition to European integration that has developed in Italy compared to Spain.


The yeast Brettanomyces bruxellensis is one of the most dangerous wine contaminants due to the production of phenolic off-flavors such as 4-ethylphenol. This microbial hazard is regularly tackled by addition of sulfur dioxide (SO2). Nevertheless, B. bruxellensis is frequently found at low levels (ca 103 cells/mL) in finished wines. Besides, consumers health concerns regarding the use of sulfur dioxide encouraged the search for alternative biocontrol measures. Recently, we found that Saccharomyces cerevisiae secretes a natural biocide (saccharomycin) that inhibits the growth of different B. bruxellensis strains during alcoholic fermentation. Here we investigated the ability of S. cerevisiae CCMI 885 to prevent B. bruxellensis ISA 2211 growth and 4-ethylphenol production in synthetic and true grape must fermentations. Results showed that B. bruxellensis growth and 4-ethylphenol production was significantly inhibited in both media, although the effect was more pronounced in synthetic grape must. The natural biocide was added to a simulated wine inoculated with 5 × 102 cells/mL of B. bruxellensis, which led to loss of culturability and viability (100% dead cells at day-12). The conjugated effect of saccharomycin with SO2 was evaluated in simulated wines at 10, 12, 13 and 14% (v/v) ethanol. Results showed that B. bruxellensis proliferation in wines at 13 and 14% (v/v) ethanol was completely prevented by addition of 1.0 mg/mL of saccharomycin with 25 mg/L of SO2, thus allowing to significantly reduce the SO2 levels commonly used in wines (150–200 mg/L).


An elderly male Poodle was presented with haematuria, syncopy, a heart murmur and varying other symptoms which were all treated unsuccessfully. They were linked on post-mortem examination to a widely disseminated metastatic malignant haemangioendothelioma.


A 64 Mw*1 b/16 Mw*4 b DRAM with 30-ns access time which uses a double-metal layer and 0.4- mu m CMOS technology is reported. The external power supply is 3 V, while memory cell arrays operate at 2.2 V. Key circuits for the 64-Mb DRAM are (1) a latched-sense, shared-sense circuit with open bit-line read-out and folded bit-line rewrite operations (LOF) to reduce inter-bit-line coupling noise, (2) alternatively activated and separately end-located word drivers and X decoders to reduce word-line selection delay, and (3) built-in self test and repair circuits using spare memory cells to reduce test costs and increase chip reliability. >


Ab initio calculations suggest that the C-terminus of an α-helix can serve as a novel relay element for long-range charge migration in proteins, as an addition or alternative to the known relay properties of aromatic and S-containing amino acids. The relay ability of an α-helical C-terminus varies with helix length, capping, proximal group competition, and helix twisting/bending. The vertical ionization potential (IPV) is a suitable indicator of hole relay ability and correlates positively with the HOMO energies and inversely with helix length and dipole moment. Different capping groups can yield different effects on the IPV but hardly change the IPV−helix length dependence. A series of recent experimental observations regarding charge migrations by hopping along helices or across different helices and the distance dependence of the charge-transfer rates through helices could be viewed as strong evidence for this prediction that also provides the impetus for further experimental tests and continued theore...


Sediment cores were collected from three Louisiana coastal marsh ponds, dated with radioisotopes, and analyzed for diatom remains to determine if long-term salinity changes were evident in the sediment record. A diatom-based salinity index formulated from a statistical comparison of available salinity data and changing diatom assemblages demonstrated that diatom remains appear to preserve salinity signals in coastal brackish and salt marsh environments. The salinity index was applied to sediment cores spanning the late 1600s to the 1990s and provided a more complete record of salinity than field data, which were temporally and spatially incomplete. The salinity reconstructions indicated that salinity has increased at two sites and decreased at a third since the early 1900s. The salinity changes are less than 1‰ per decade in all cases, and may be due to natural variability as depicted by the wide range of salinities observed between the late 1600s and 1900. Salinity regimes may be very localized (<2 km from a hydrologic source), indicating single-site studies may not be applicable to regional inferences. This study demonstrates that diatoms can be used to reconstruct past salinity in coastal marsh environments and can provide a useful tool with which to study the changing hydrology of river-influenced ecosystems.


SUMMARY The application of computer technology in land administration is touted as one way of ensuring efficient and transparent land administration. Although this true, one major concern is not only how to create a computerized land information system that is interoperable across different government departments responsible for different land administration functions, but also how to ensure interoperability between national and devolved levels of government departments responsible for land administration. This dual challenge of interoperability can only be addressed if the land information systems are based on a common data model. Data modeling can be done from scratch or adopting an already existing model. Adoption is better than the re-inventing the wheel, the danger though is that the already existing model might not be suitable for local circumstances. It is against this background that this paper sets the stage for creating a profile of the ISO 19152 - LADM standard for Kenya. Since land administration systems cannot be understood, modeled or reformed unless the core processes are understood, this paper presents a description of the current land administration system in Kenya, followed by a comparison of the system with standard on the basis of the basic packages. Currently, the land administration system is being changed from centralized to a mixture of centralized and devolved. It was established that there are a number of aspects that are very similar between the Kenya land administration system and the LADM in all, except the Basic Administration Unit package. Whereas the Kenya land administration system considers the land parcel as the basic unit in the system, the LADM considers property as the basic unit. The standard can be adopted by mapping some concepts of the Kenyan system into the LADM or vice versa. A first draft of the profile can therefore be delineated from the standard on the basis of this paper.


Design is a central activity to all types of engineering. Each engineer must be equipped with skills in design engineering. Education of design engineering, as a result, has now started to change in response. This paper proposes a design engineering educational framework using ShareFast, an open source, client/server application for document management system based on workflow, as e-learning tool. The association between design documents and workflow is described by metadata based on semantic Web technology. The client software offers a workflow editor to create and edit workflow. Additionally, the software offers a function for instructors to monitor learner's behavior so that they can analyze it to improve class efficiency. The e-learning system has been used for empirical studies with university students. The results showed that learning engineering design by workflow helped the students understand design process more easily, and the system can shorten the students' learning duration


Thyroid cancer is on the rise. Novel approaches are needed to improve the outcome of patients with recurrent and advanced metastatic thyroid cancers. FDA approval of suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA; vorinostat), an inhibitor of histone deacetylase, for the treatment of hematological malignancies led to the clinical trials of vorinostat for advanced thyroid cancer. However, patients were resistant to vorinostat treatment. To understand the molecular basis of resistance, we tested the efficacy of SAHA in two mouse models of metastatic follicular thyroid cancer: Thrb(PV/PV) and Thrb(PV/PV)Pten(+/-) mice. In both, thyroid cancer is driven by overactivation of PI3K-AKT signaling. However, the latter exhibit more aggressive cancer progression due to haplodeficiency of the tumor suppressor, the Pten gene. SAHA had no effects on thyroid cancer progression in Thrb(PV/PV) mice, indicative of resistance to SAHA. Unexpectedly, thyroid cancer progressed in SAHA-treated Thrb(PV/PV)Pten(+/-) mice with accelerated occurrence of vascular invasion, anaplastic foci, and lung metastasis. Molecular analyses showed further activated PI3K-AKT in thyroid tumors of SAHA-treated Thrb(PV/PV)Pten(+/-) mice, resulting in the activated effectors, p-Rb, CDK6, p21(Cip1), p-cSrc, ezrin, and matrix metalloproteinases, to increase proliferation and invasion of tumor cells. Single-molecule DNA analysis indicated that the wild-type allele of the Pten gene was progressively lost, whereas carcinogenesis progressed in SAHA-treated Thrb(PV/PV)Pten(+/-) mice. Thus, this study has uncovered a novel mechanism by which SAHA-induced loss of the tumor suppressor Pten gene to promote thyroid cancer progression. Effectors downstream of the Pten loss-induced signaling may be potential targets to overcome resistance of thyroid cancer to SAHA.


The development of information technologies has formed a socio-economic request to reduce the age at which children can be introduced to programming. After 6 years' efforts, the authors managed to develop and on a large scale introduce a one-year programming course for preschoolers, which is built on a metaphor of programmed control. During the course development, a set of basic programming concepts was selected and specified to be mastered by preschoolers aged 6+ in the activity-game form. This set of concepts goes back to Seymour Papert's ideas about teaching programming by writing programs that control moving objects using intuitive sets of commands. The main feature of the proposed system of concepts, allow at the initial stage of training to demonstrate and assimilate all the elements of the concept in the real, not in the virtual world. In the picture of the World, which we explain and demonstrate to children, only one function remains at the computer - the execution of the program it has memorized. Everything else happens in the real world. In the real world, an environment is created in which a real robot will move. In the real world, a program is created from tangible objects, which will then be "shown" to the computer so that it stores it in its memory and can then execute it at the command of a human. In the real world, obeying the signals of the computer, the robot performs the work stipulated by the program. This allows you to begin acquaintance with the programming of children from 4 years old, without working individually or collectively with electronic screens, which in today's Russia is prohibited by federal medical authorities in the educational process of children under 5 years old. The course is built on the text-free pictographic programming system PiktoMir developed by Russian Academy of Sciences. The methodological content of the course allows each preschooler to gain experience in the development and debugging of 120-150 simple programs by the end of the course. The final part of the article discusses the authors' plans for the development of a three-year textless programming course, methodologically and instrumentally connected with the primary school programming course.


We study the problem of wave transport in a one-dimensional disordered system, where the scatterers of the chain are $n$ barriers and wells with statistically independent intensities and with a spatial extension $\l_c$ which may contain an arbitrary number $\delta/2\pi$ of wavelengths, where $\delta = k l_c$. We analyze the average Landauer resistance and transmission coefficient of the chain as a function of $n$ and the phase parameter $\delta$. For weak scatterers, we find: i) a regime, to be called I, associated with an exponential behavior of the resistance with $n$, ii) a regime, to be called II, for $\delta$ in the vicinity of $\pi$, where the system is almost transparent and less localized, and iii) right in the middle of regime II, for $\delta$ very close to $\pi$, the formation of a band gap, which becomes ever more conspicuous as $n$ increases. In regime II, both the average Landauer resistance and the transmission coefficient show an oscillatory behavior with $n$ and $\delta$. These characteristics of the system are found analytically, some of them exactly and some others approximately. The agreement between theory and simulations is excellent, which suggests a strong motivation for the experimental study of these systems. We also present a qualitative discussion of the results.


The sediments are an important compartment used as a tool for assessment of aquatic ecosystems quality, for indicating the presence of contaminants released continuously into the environment as a result of human activities. Among chemical substances discharged to surface water, there are metals that in undesirable amounts, can be toxic to biota. Due to the importance of sediment and of shortage of data of water quality of the Araguaia-Tocantins river system, the present study conducted an assessment of environmentally available metals in sediment samples from water for public supply of the city of Palmas, in Tocantins, Brazil. The concentrations of As, Cd, Pb and Se were analyzed by Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (GFAAS), Ag, Al, B, Ba, Be, Ca, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, P, Sb, Sc, Si, Ti, V and Zn were analyzed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICPOES) and Hg by Cold Vapor Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (CVAAS). Two partial solubilization processes were performed for a comparative study, one with HCl 0,1 M and agitation at room temperature, considered a milder method for metal extraction from anthropogenic origin, and another with HNO3 8 M and microwave heating, considered as an alternative to more complex methods of total digestion, since it provides a good evaluation of the total concentration of the elements. The sediment quality evaluation was realized by comparing the concentration values of the elements As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb and Zn with the quality guidelines (TEL and PEL) adopted by Canadian Council of Minister of the Environment (CCME), to thereby contribute to the environmental quality of the water of the Araguaia-Tocantins river system.


Many countries in Latin America, for cultural, religious and regulatory reasons, have struggled and failed to appear as competent players in the global bio-economy of emerging technologies in the biosciences field. This investigation takes Mexico as a country case study to map out the factors hampering the development of the governance of emergent biomedical biotechnologies in this context, particularly that applied to stem cell science. This research aims to contextualise and portray prevailing ethical, legal, political and religious concerns regarding stem cell research in this context. Exploring the debates in these arenas, it seeks to elucidate the perceptions of key stakeholders and to appraise critically the divergences and convergences among the actors who currently shape the debate and who may have significant influence on the creation of any legislative framework in the area. It explores whether it is feasible to draw on the approach taken to stem cell science and tissue regulation in the United Kingdom, in order to illuminate the way forward for governing stem cell research and its clinical applications in Mexico. It also aims to evaluate the risks posed by the persistent lack of regulation in this scientific field, since Mexico appears to be an ideal destination for stem cell tourism among Latin American countries. Drawing on empirical data gathered from prominent Mexican stakeholders in the stem cell issue, this research elucidates the key themes influencing the debate which need to be addressed in detail in order to prepare the ground for the effective governance of stem cell science and its clinical applications. By detailing the emergent themes and providing reflexive explanations of the elements influencing the views of all the actors in this arena, this thesis aims to provide ethical, empirical and normative proposals to be translated by policymakers into purposive regulation of biomedical innovations. Thus, it delineates two main features of the debate over stem cell science regulation in Mexico and shows the urgent need to create a legal framework to deal with problematic situations provoked by the legal vacuum in this area: a) the legal inertia preponderant in the Federal Congress, which is mainly caused by the constant lobbying of politicians by the Roman Catholic hierarchy to endorse prohibitive policies in sensitive areas, such as sexual matters, reproduction and stem cell science; b) the increasing phenomenon of stem cell tourism in the country, requiring the adoption of ethical and legal measures to avoid potential physical and financial harm to desperate patients who seek stem cell treatments.In conclusion, I argue that it is plausible to advance a permissive model of governance for the area of stem cell science. This thesis is supported by the evidence gathered from stakeholders? opinions, added to the data emanating from the analysis of the country case study. As a result, it is possible to propose as an initial strategy the adoption of significant regulatory features of the paradigmatic system of governance which applies in the United Kingdom. The law is up to date as of 19 June 2012.


A series of concrete samples with high hydrogen content were prepared by pressing process with aluminum hydroxide, boron carbide and aluminate cement as raw materials. the mechanical performance of the shielding material was examined by flexural strength tester and compression strength tester. Thermogravimetric analyzer was used to test the weight loss performance of the shielding material, hydrated cement and Al(OH)3. The thermal stability of the concrete at working temperature were investigated by bake the samples at 210°C for 90 hours and at 300°C for 5 hours. The shielding performance against neutron from 241Am-Be source were examined by neutron penetration tests. The test results show that the mechanical properties of the shielding material decrease with the increase of the content of aluminum hydroxide, the compression strength of the shielding material reached above 10MPa. The decomposition temperature of conc is 220°C, the weight loss curve tends to be plateau after baking at 210°C for 20 hours. Most of the crystal water lost after holding at 300°C for 5 hours, but the dimensions of the samples show no obvious change. The shielding performance of the material against neutron from 241Am-Be source is comparable to that of lead-boron polyethylene.


Pharmacokinetic interaction of chrysin, a flavone present in honey, propolis and herbs, with caffeine was investigated in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Because chrysin inhibited CYP1A-selective ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase and methoxyresorufin O-demethylase activities in enriched rat liver microsomes, the pharmacokinetics of caffeine, a CYP 1A substrate, was studied following an intragastric administration with 100 mg/kg chrysin. In addition to the oral bioavailability of chrysin, its phase 2 metabolites, chrysin sulfate and chrysin glucuronide, were determined in rat plasma. As results, the pharmacokinetic parameters for caffeine and its three metabolites (i.e., paraxanthine, theobromine and theophylline) were not changed following chrysin treatment in vivo, despite of its inhibitory effect on CYP 1A in vitro. The bioavailability of chrysin was found to be almost zero, because chrysin was rapidly metabolized to its sulfate and glucuronide conjugates in rats. Taken together, it was concluded that the little interaction of chrysin with caffeine might be resulted from the rapid metabolism of chrysin to its phase 2 metabolites which would not have inhibitory effects on CYP enzymes responsible for caffeine metabolism.


The main purpose of the article was to assess the eco-socio-economic development of world countries. For this purpose, the Comprehensive Eco-Socio-Economic Development Index (CESEDI) was proposed and used. The proposed measure is based on a dozen or so indicators recognized and used in the literature for assessing countries in terms of their social, economic and environmental achievements. An attempt was made to include most of the elements necessary for the safe, healthy and happy life of citizens of the studied countries. The article presents world leaders, based on the CESEDI. Moreover, the individual components of the CESEDI and their level in the analyzed countries are presented. It was found, inter alia, that 18 out of 20 countries with the highest CESEDI are European countries. The ranking leaders were highly developed Scandinavian countries (Norway, Denmark, Finland) and Switzerland. The countries of Eastern and South-Eastern Europe (Slovenia, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Poland and Romania) took high positions in the ranking, ahead of such countries as Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan and the United States. Research results indicate that European and South American countries are, on average, more developed in terms of ecological, social and economic development than countries in the rest of the world.


Ten European sandplay therapists describe how severe psychopathologies can be treated in the free and protected space of the sandbox. The sandplay therapy cases in this book illustrate some of the most difficult, yet also most effective applications: psychoses, borderline syndromes, psychosomatic illnesses, drug addictions, or narcissistic character disorders. Sandplay seems to access areas of human suffering which have otherwise always resisted psychotherapeutic treatment. Recent research in neuroscience explains why this is possible: trauma is not remembered in verbal form -- what has never been articulated in words nor ever shaped cannot be outwardly expressed. In sandplay, however, it manifests itself as a form, shaped by the hands. The inexpressible can be seen and touched -- therefore, it can be transformed.


Three distinct volcanic-ash layers were identified in peat deposits through visual, microscopic, and chemical means. These layers were related to known volcanic events through the 14C dating of 34 peat samples. The upper layer was probably Bridge River ash, deposited about 2350 years BP. The middle layer was possibly St. Helens Y tephra, deposited around 3400 years BP. The lower ash was related to Mazama tephra, deposited about 6600 years BP. Ash-enriched layers were formed in the accumulating peat as aerial deposition of tephra occurred, often for several hundred years before and after the presumed main eruption, as shown by 14C dates and peat accumulation rates. This implies periodic eruptions by the volcanoes, not all of which produced distinct ash layers in areas distant from the source. Redeposition from wind-eroded beds of Mazama ash during the dry postglacial climatic maximum is a possibility.


ABSTRACT An Autographa californica nucleopolyhedrovirus-encoded microRNA (miRNA), AcMNPV-miR-1, downregulates the ac94 gene, reducing the production of infectious budded virions and accelerating the formation of occlusion-derived virions. In the current study, four viruses that constitutively overexpress AcMNPV-miR-1 were constructed to further explore the function of the miRNA. In addition to the ac94 gene, two new viral gene targets (ac18 and ac95) of AcMNPV-miR-1 were identified, and the possible interacting proteins were verified and tested. In the context of AcMNPV-miR-1 overexpression, ac18 was slightly upregulated, and ac95 was downregulated. Several interacting proteins were identified, and a functional pathway for AcMNPV-miR-1 was deduced. AcMNPV-miR-1 overexpression decreased budded virus infectivity, reduced viral DNA replication, accelerated polyhedron formation, and promoted viral infection efficiency in Trichoplusia ni larvae, suggesting that AcMNPV-miR-1 restrains virus infection of cells but facilitates virus infection of larvae. IMPORTANCE Recently, microRNAs (miRNAs) have been widely reported as moderators or regulators of mammalian cellular processes, especially disease-related pathways in humans. However, the roles played by miRNAs encoded by baculoviruses, which infect numerous beneficial insects and agricultural pests, have rarely been described. To explore the actions of virus-encoded miRNAs, we investigated an miRNA encoded by Autographa californica nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV-miR-1). We previously identified this miRNA through the exogenous addition of AcMNPV-miR-1 mimics. In the current study, we constitutively overexpressed AcMNPV-miR-1 and analyzed the resultant effects to more comprehensively assess what is indeed the function of this miRNA during viral infection. In addition, we widely explored the target genes for the miRNA in the viral and host genomes and proposed a possible functional network for AcMNPV-miR-1, which provides a better general understanding of virus-encoded miRNAs. In brief, our study implied that AcMNPV-miR-1 constrains viral replication and cellular infection but enhances larval infection.


The DebateQuestion 1: Various commentators have frequently invoked the importance of moderate Muslims and the role that they can play in fighting extremism in the Muslim world. But it is not clear who is a moderate Muslim. The recent cancellation of Tariq Ramadan's visa to the United States, the raids on several American Muslim organizations, and the near marginalization of mainstream American Muslims in North America pose the following question: If moderate Muslims are critical to an American victory in the war on terror, then why does the American government frequently take steps that undermine moderate Muslims? Perhaps there is a lack of clarity about who the moderate Muslims are. In your view, who are these moderate Muslims and what are their beliefs and politics?
GEF: Who is a moderate Muslim? That depends on whom you ask and what that person's (or government's) agenda is. Moderate is also a quite relative term, understood differently by different people. For our purposes here, let's examine two basically different approaches to this question: an American view and a Middle Eastern view of what characterizes a moderate Muslim. Most non-Muslims would probably define a moderate Muslim as anyone who believes in democracy, tolerance, a non-violent approach to politics, and equitable treatment of women at the legal and social levels. Today, the American government functionally adds several more criteria: Amoderate Muslim is one who does not oppose the country's strategic and geopolitical ambitions in the world, who accepts American interests and preferences within the world order, who believes that Islam has no role in politics, and who avoids any confrontation – even political – with Israel. There are deep internal contradictions and warring priorities within the American approach to the Muslim world. While democratization and "freedom" is the Bush administration's self-proclaimed global ideological goal, the reality is that American demands for security and the war against terror take priority over the democratization agenda every time. Democratization becomes a punishment visited upon American enemies rather than a gift bestowed upon friends. Friendly tyrants take priority over those less cooperative moderate and democratic Muslims who do not acquiesce to the American agenda in the Muslim world. Within the United States itself, the immense domestic power of hardline pro-Likud lobbies and the Israel-firsters set the agenda on virtually all discourse concerning the Muslim world and Israel. This group has generally succeeded in excluding from the public dialogue most Muslim (or even non-Muslim) voices that are at all critical of Israel's policies. This de facto litmus test raises dramatically the threshold for those who might represent an acceptable moderate Muslim interlocutor. The reality is that there is hardly a single prominent figure in the Muslim world who has not at some point voiced anger at Israeli policies against the Palestinians and who has not expressed ambivalence toward armed resistance against the Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands. Thus, few Muslim leaders enjoying public legitimacy in the Muslim world can meet this criterion these days in order to gain entry to the United States to participate in policy discussions. In short, moderate Muslimis subject to an unrealistic litmus test regarding views on Israel that functionally excludes the great majority of serious voices representative of genuine Muslim thinkers in the Middle East who are potential interlocutors. There is no reason to believe that this political framework will change in the United States anytime soon. In my view, a moderate Muslim is one who is open to the idea of evolutionary change through history in the understanding and practice of Islam, one who shuns literalism and selectivism in the understanding of sacred texts. Amoderate would reject the idea that any one group or individual has a monopoly on defining Islam and would seek to emphasize common ground with other faiths, rather than accentuate the differences. Amoderate would try to seek within Islam the roots of those political and social values that are broadly consonant with most of the general values of the rest of the contemporary world. A moderate Muslim would not reject the validity of other faiths. Against the realities of the contemporary Middle East, a moderate Muslim would broadly eschew violence as a means of settling political issues, but still might not condemn all aspects of political violence against state authorities who occupy Muslim lands by force – such as Russia in Chechnya, the Israeli state in the Palestine, or even American occupation forces in Iraq. Yet even here, in principle, a moderate must reject attacks against civilians, women, and children in any struggle for national liberation. Moderates would be open to cooperation with the West and the United States, but not at the expense of their own independence and sovereignty.


Background Management options for patients with persistent back pain after a vertebral fracture include vertebral augmentation, but its use is controversial. Objectives Our iam was to evaluate the fracture cause, efficacy and complications of consecutive vertebroplasties performed in our Hospital in a 12 years period. Methods Retrospective study of vertebroplasties performed at a University Hospital in the last 12 years (April 2004 to April 2016). The duration of follow-up was more than 12 months. Epidemiological variables, indications, time elapsed, efficacy and complications of the procedure were collected. The indication of vertebroplasties in fractures was pain refractory to usual symptomatic treatment in these pathologies: osteoporosis, trauma, leukemia/lymphoma, metastasis and hemangioma. Efficacy was assessed at 6 and 12 months with a simple verbal scale according to the pain response (improvement/non-improvement). Patients who died before 12 months period were excluded for the that parameter. A comparative study of the efficacy between a)cause of fracture, b)location, c)time elapsed, d)access route and e)complication was performed. For the descriptive analysis we used frequencies and percentages in the case of qualitative variables, and mean and standard deviation (SD) or median and interquartile range for quantitative variables. Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test was used in for qualitative variables, and Wilcoxon's non-parametric test for evolution time. Statistic analysis was performed with the SAS System for Windows V 9.2. Results 66 vertebroplasties were performed in 44 patients (75% female/25% male). Their mean age was 70.63±10.60 years (range, 46–96 years). The description of the causes of fracture, its level, the access route and the cement leaks are expressed in TABLE. The median time from fracture to vertebroplasty was 3 months [1–6]. 78% of the fractures were osteoporotic and had a better response to pain at 6 months than all other fractures (p<0.05), although at 12 months there were no differences (p=0.42). Only 12.5% had refracture. Pain control and vertebral refracture did not differ between neither the access rout nor the cement leakage and its magnitude. In the 12-month follow-up, 7 patients died (6 due to neoplasia, 1 due to sudden death) and no case was related to vertebroplasty. Conclusions In our experience vertebroplasty has been shown to be an effective technique for the control of refractory pain in vertebral fractures regardless of cause and time of evolution. Likewise, only 12.5% presented refracture in the following 12 months to the procedure. According to our study we can consider vertebroplasty as an effective and safe alternative in this type of patients. Disclosure of Interest None declared


We examine the contemporary art market of the 100 best artists as classified by the Kunstkompass 2006 in the German magazine Capital in comparison with price achieved by artworks from the same artists sold through auction sales. Using the hedonic regression method, we test whether and in which way classical information (dimensions, materials used, signature, etc.) or new parameters like Kunstkompass ranking play a significant role in the determination of the price. We show that an independent ranking aiming at classifying the artistic value provides a reliable estimate for artworks' value.


The interaction of hypochlorite (HOCl/OCl-) with tert-butyl hydroperoxide ((CH3)3COOH) was investigated by chemiluminescence. It was shown that the addition of HOCl/OCl- to (CH3)3COOH induces a fast chemiluminescent flash. The intensity of this flash increases with the increase in both HOCl/OCl- and (CH3)3COOH concentration. The chemiluminescence is quenched in a concentration-dependent manner in the presence of free radical spin traps N-tert-butyl nitrone and alpha-(4-pyridyl-1-oxyl)-N-tert-butyl nitrone. This fact proves that free radicals take part in the interaction of HOCl/OCl- and (CH3)3COOH. Hypochlorite yielded a very similar chemiluminescence spectrum in its reaction with (CH3)3COOH as Ce4+. It differed considerably from the spectrum in the system H2O2 and HOCl/OCl-. It is well known that the interaction of Ce4+ and (CH3)3COOH produces peroxyl radicals. These results confirm the hyothesis that the interaction of HOCl/OCl- and (CH3)3COOH is mediated by peroxyl radicals. Thus, organic hydroperoxides always present in unsaturated lipids can induce lipid peroxidation processes in the reaction with HOCl/OCl-.


In the last two decades, games and real-time applications have known an exponential growth in terms of complexity, becoming more and more able to simulate realistic environments. For these complex systems efficient path planning and crowd simulation algorithms are fundamental. Consequently, a lot of research has been done to design the right data structures, which would improve the realism of a simulation within real-time performance. The Explicit Corridor Map (ECM) is an efficient navigation mesh that can represent free space exactly in a given 2D environment. The ECM is based on the medial axis, an efficient descriptor of polygonal shapes similar to the generalized Voronoi diagram. Due to its low time and space complexities, together with other path planning algorithms, it can simulate large crowds in real-time. To obtain the Explicit Corridor Map, current solutions use the graphics card. Ergo, the quality of the ECM is dependent on the maximum resolution supported by the graphics processing unit (GPU). On the other hand, this Master Thesis proposes alternative algorithms based on the exact and topology-oriented paradigms. Doing so, we would obtain a more precise and resolution independent result. The algorithm was implemented using two software packages for computing segment Voronoi Diagram, namely VRONI (the topology-oriented candidate) and the Segment Delaunay Graph from CGAL (the exact candidate). The aim was to identify the strengths and weaknesses of each algorithm in terms of precision, robustness and computation time. Running our tests, we found that the solution implemented with VRONI is the most robust and outperforms the other variants in terms of precision and robustness. On the other hand, we found the behavior of CGAL quite unstable, regardless of the number format used for computation. To our surprise, using double number types yields more precise results than using exact number types. Finally, precision is an issue for the gpu, since it is dependent on the resolution of the framebuffer. Even using the maximum admited resolution, still its precision lags behind the other two algorithms a few orders of mangnitude.


A simple computational framework is developed to include shoals and shallow embayments (SSE) and their interaction with main channels in estuarine modeling. The scheme, treating SSE as temporary storage areas, accounts for the water and material exchanges between SSE and main channels as the tide rises and falls, and for the biogeochemical processes affecting nonconservative substances such as water-quality parameters in SSE. The scheme, because of its simple nature, can be easily incorporated into one-, two- or three-dimensional models of estuaries with substantial SSE. The concept and the model implementation of the scheme are explained using a vertical two-dimensional model of estuarine hydrodynamics and water quality. The model application to the tidal Rappahannock River, a western shore tributary of Chesapeake Bay, demonstrates the scheme is simple and physically reasonable, and the importance of SSE in estuarine modeling. The inclusion of SSE in a water-quality model not only provides a framework, for computing water-quality conditions therein but also accounts for the interaction between SSE and the main channel. It is shown that significant errors may result if the effects of SSE are not properly accounted for in modeling of an estuary with extensive SSE.


Abstract Since 1980, 856 Sooty Oystercatchers (Haematopus fuliginosus) have been caught and banded in Australia by the Victorian Wader Study Group (n = 801, from southern Australia) and the Australasian Wader Studies Group (n = 55 birds, all from north-western Australia). The biometric data collected were analysed for differences between sexes and ages and for geographical differences. Females were larger than males in all biometric dimensions, in all age-groups and in both geographical regions. For both subspecies-H.f.fuliginosus in south-eastern Australia and H.f. opthalmicus in north-western Australia -length of bill (exposed culmen) was the most discriminating parameter for determination of sex. Weights of adult females increased markedly towards the end of the moulting period. In south-eastern Australia, adult males considerably outnumber adult females in catches. Furthermore, adult males also outnumbered adult females in late autumn-early winter samples; at other times, and in other age-groups, the sex-ratio was more evenly balanced. Differential survival or spatial distribution of females and males are proposed as the mechanisms causing male-biased tertiary sex-ratios in catches. South-eastern Australian birds were larger and heavier than their northern counterparts. Furthermore, comparisons between Sooty Oystercatchers and the sympatric congener, the Australian Pied Oystercatcher (H. longirostris) showed the former to be significantly larger and heavier in both parts of the country.


To solve the problems in the real- world the Wireless Sensors Network and the Internet of Things are nowadays commonly used to build decision support systems. Precision agriculture is one of the most important fields having an increasing need of decision support systems. This paper consists of a survey on wireless sensor network with different cloud-based IOT schemes on Precision agriculture. These methodologies are used to solve the agriculture related problems such as farming resources optimization, decision making support and land monitoring. The precision agriculture systems is based on the Internet of Things technology which is explained in hardware architecture, network architecture and software process control of the precision irrigation system in a detailed manner by using the basic principles of Internet and WSN technology. The sensors in feedback loop get activated by threshold value in the control devices. The needed data is been collected and it is relay to cloud-based back-end which is processed and analysed by the three-layer architecture. The analysed data can be sent back to the front-end nodes which are based on Feedback actions.


The enzyme Dicer is best known for its role as a riboendonuclease in the small RNA pathway. In this canonical role, Dicer is a critical regulator of the biogenesis of microRNA and small interfering RNA, as well as a growing number of additional small RNAs derived from various sources. Emerging evidence demonstrates that Dicer's endonuclease role extends beyond the generation of small RNAs; it is also involved in processing additional endogenous and exogenous substrates, and is becoming increasingly implicated in regulating a variety of other cellular processes, outside of its endonuclease function. This review will describe the canonical and newly identified functions of Dicer.


Leaf Color Chart (LCC) is a measurement tool that can be used to measure the color intensity of rice leaves. The function of these measurements is to find out how many doses of fertilizer are needed by rice plants. However, readings made by human vision have a high level of subjectivity and risk of error. Therefore we need a method that can minimize errors and the level of subjectivity. One method that can be done is to classify the green color of rice leaves using LAB color space. Rice leaf image taken using a smartphone device is then extracted in RGB format. The color is then converted to LAB color space and then compared to the standard green color in the LCC. The comparison results are then used to classify the colors. The testing results show that the method has the value of accuracy, average precision, and average recall of 54.74%, 54.44%, and 51.16% respectively. Therefore the method can only classify correctly half of the data testing.


Abstract The article presents the results of bioassaying 39 samples of TM Biocontrol-1, a viral insecticide, from 10 different lots and various sizes of vacuum-sealed packages that were stored at −10°C for 5–15 yr. This is the first study to present potency data for a registered virus product stored for this length of time. Laboratory bioassays in insects from the same colony from which the TM Biocontrol-1 was produced showed that the stored viral insecticide is still effective, although it lost ≈30% of its effectiveness during storage. A direct correlation of this loss with the length of time in storage is not apparent. Bioassays also showed that there are significant differences in the susceptibility of Douglas-fir tussock moth, Orgyia pseudotsugata (McDunnough), larvae from different geographic regions to OpMNPV (family Baculoviridae, genus Nucleopolyhedrovirus) infection. Package size did not affect the potency of stored TM Biocontrol-1. There were no clear, significant differences in the effectiveness among lots of TM Biocontrol-1 processed by different organizations.


The students of the Faculty of Entrepreneurship and Business, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan pursued a subject known as Trade Logistics and Distribution. As part of the course assessment, students were divided into groups and each group was required to implement a mini business project in the field of entrepreneurial logistics. They were free to work on any kind of business along the logistics chain, ranging from suppliers, distributors, manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers to consumers. This paper aimed to trace the application of Timmons Model of the Entrepreneurial Process by students during mini business project implementation. Findings show that students perceived resource availability as highly important in ensuring the success of the given project, and this is followed by the need for creativity and leadership quality. Correlation analysis indicates that creativity is significantly related to leadership quality, teamwork, resources available and opportunity identified. Leadership quality was also found to have influence on resource availability. Therefore, this study proves the relevancy of Timmons Model of the Entrepreneurial Process which implies that the key to any business success lies with the entrepreneur.


In this article we prove that for any saturated fusion system, that the (unique) smallest weakly normal subsystem of it on a given strongly closed subgroup is actually normal. This has a variety of corollaries, such as the statement that the notion of a simple fusion system is independent of whether one uses weakly normal or normal subsystems. We also develop a theory of weakly normal maps, consider intersections and products of weakly normal subsystems, and the hypercentre of a fusion system.


This paper develops a conceptual framework for analyzing tourist behaviors and identifies three categories of behaviors based on the applications of Hofstede's cultural dimensions and the processes underlying these influences. Our findings indicate that tourist behaviors in the Before-Travel, During-Travel, and After-Travel stages differ significantly in terms of the applicability and process through which Hofstede's cultural dimensions operate. The results of our analysis suggest three categories of behavioral patterns, namely, "Social Interaction Driven Travel Behaviors," (SID), "Risk Tendencies Driven Travel Behaviors," (RTD), and "Collectivity Orientation Driven Travel Behaviors," (COD). SID relates to the evaluation of travel experiences in the after-travel stage. The dominant cultural values associated with SID are Individualism/Collectivism, Masculinity/Femininity, and Power Distance. These three values act either independently or in pairs or all three together. RTD relates to the consumption of travel products in the during-travel stage, and COD relates to the formation of travel preferences in the before-travel stage. Individualism/Collectivism and Uncertainty Avoidance are associated with both RTD and COD. However, the underlying processes differ for these two categories of travel behaviors. In addition to their independent influences on travel behaviors, these two values associated with RTD and COD also have an interactive effect. For RTD, the Uncertainty Avoidance motive determines the Individualism/Collectivism outcome, whereas, for COD, the opposite is true: the Individualism/Collectivism determines the Uncertainty Avoidance outcome. The paper also discusses the application of a fifth cultural dimension, Confucian Dynamism (short-term versus long-term orientation), for the study of tourists' behaviors.


This paper mainly sorts out and summarizes literatures on executive compensation gap and enterprise performance, and puts forward the direction of further exploration. Firstly, this paper sorts out relevant literature from three perspectives: the relationship between executive compensation and corporate performance, internal compensation gap and corporate performance, and external compensation gap and corporate performance. Secondly, this paper reviews the research on executive compensation gap and enterprise performance. Finally, this paper proposes the future research direction of executive compensation gap and enterprise performance.


This paper presents the use of micromachined differential capacitive strain sensors to investigate mechanical properties of electroplated Ni deposited under two different conditions on Si and glass substrates. The thermal expansion coefficient (/spl alpha/), Young's modulus, and residual strain were studied as a function of temperature. The measured a was 8-16 ppm/K over 23-150/spl deg/C; the residual strain changed from neutral to -880 microstrain over 23-100/spl deg/C in one case and +68.5 microstrain to -420 microstrain over 23-130/spl deg/C in another case; and the Young's modulus ranged from 115-135 GPa at room temperature. The sensitivity of the device to structural non-idealities was evaluated by numerical modeling.


A principally new method of diagnostics of closed injuries of hollow organs of the abdomen was used in clinical practice in 36 patients. It consists in performing laparocentesis in combination with gas chromatography. The technique, indications and contraindications to gas chromatographic laparocentesis as a method of diagnostics of such injuries are described.


Abstract. Interpolation methods have significant impacts on the accuracy of the digital elevation model (DEM) from contours which are one of frequently employed data sources. In this paper, an interpolation method is presented to build DEM from contour lines by fusion/integration of morphological reconstruction and distance transformation with obstacles. Particularly, morphological reconstruction is used to get the elevation values of the higher contour lines and the lower contour lines of any a spatial point between two contour lines, and distance transformation with obstacles is used to get the geodesic distances of the spatial point to the higher contour lines and the lower contour lines respectively. At last, linear interpolation along water flow line is used to get the elevation values of the pixels to be interpolated. The experiment demonstrates that feasibility of our proposed method.


In this paper, we propose an improved end-to-end multi-branch person search network to jointly optimize person detection, re-identification, instance segmentation, and keypoint detection. First, we build a better and faster base model to extract non-highly correlated feature expression; Second, a foreground feature enhance module is used to alleviate undesirable background noise in person feature maps; Third, we design an algorithm to learn the part-aligned representation for person search. Extensive experiments with ablation analysis show the effectiveness of our proposed end-to-end multi-task model, and we demonstrate its superiority over the state-of-the-art methods on two benchmark datasets including CUHK-SYSU and PRW.


Ensemble learning algorithms such as bagging often generate unnecessarily large models, which consume extra computational resources and may degrade the generalization ability. Pruning can potentially reduce ensemble size as well as improve performance; however, researchers have previously focused more on pruning classifiers rather than regressors. This is because, in general, ensemble pruning is based on two metrics: diversity and accuracy. Many diversity metrics are known for problems dealing with a finite set of classes defined by discrete labels. Therefore, most of the work on ensemble pruning is focused on such problems: classification, clustering, and feature selection. For the regression problem, it is much more difficult to introduce a diversity metric. In fact, the only such metric known to date is a correlation matrix based on regressor predictions. This study seeks to address this gap. First, we introduce the mathematical condition that allows checking whether the regression ensemble includes redundant estimators, i.e., estimators, whose removal improves the ensemble performance. Developing this approach, we propose a new ambiguity-based pruning (AP) algorithm that bases on error-ambiguity decomposition formulated for a regression problem. To check the quality of AP, we compare it with the two methods that directly minimize the error by sequentially including and excluding regressors, as well as with the state-of-art Ordered Aggregation algorithm. Experimental studies confirm that the proposed approach allows reducing the size of the regression ensemble with simultaneous improvement in its performance and surpasses all compared methods.


Cholelithiasis and kidney stones are frequent pathologies in developed countries. Gallstones can be pigmentary, cholesterol (75%) or mixed. Age, female sex, obesity, rapid weight loss, consumption of refined sugars, saturated fat, iron deficiency, vitamin D and low intake of fiber and vitamin C are factors associated with an increased risk of cholelithiasis. On the other hand, the intake of ω-3 fatty acids, oleic acid, calcium, magnesium, fiber, fruits and vegetables, dairy products, nuts, coffee, moderate consumption of alcohol, vitamin C supplements, physical exercise and a regular diet have a protective paper. The most frequent kidney stones are calcium oxalate followed by mixed ones (oxalate and calcium phosphate), struvite, uric acid and cystine. A high water intake is recommended (> 2.5 l / day), varying the type of recommended or unadvisable food depending on the type of calculus. In oxalic lithiasis it is recommended to reduce the consumption of meat, moderate that of spinach, Swiss chard, asparagus, chocolate and avoid excessive sodium intake. The administration of oxalate-degrading probiotics (Lactobacillus) may reduce intestinal absorption, although further studies are necessary to corroborate these results. In calcium phosphate acidifying diet is recommended and limit the consumption of coffee and tea. The prevention of uric calculus is based on hydration with alkalizing drinks and vegetarian diet, decreasing foods rich in purines (liver, kidney, fish eggs, anchovies, sardines and seafood) and in calculus of cystine diet is recommended alkalizing. Since the formation of struvite calculi is due to urinary infections, pharmacological treatment and the consumption of acidifying diets, moderation of the intake of phosphate-rich foods and limiting the contribution of fats and citrus fruits are necessary. The nutritional intervention is an effective measure in the prevention of biliary and renal lithiasis and prevent its recurrence.


With the dramatic increase in the frequency of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia associated with human immunodeficiency virus infection, there has been a need for more rapid and less invasive diagnostic techniques. Recent studies have shown that examination of induced sputum can establish the diagnosis of P. carinii pneumonia in about 55 percent of cases. To assess whether a recently developed indirect immunofluorescent stain using monoclonal antibodies was more sensitive than Giemsa or toluidine blue O stains in detecting P. carinii in sputum, we undertook two prospective studies. Of 63 patients at one institution from whom sputum specimens were obtained, 49 were ultimately given a diagnosis of P. carinii pneumonia, 46 of them by staining of sputum. The sensitivity of the three stains in detecting P. carinii was 45 of 49 (92 percent) for immunofluorescence; 37 of 49 (76 percent) for Diff-Quik (a Giemsa-type stain); and 39 of 49 (80 percent) for toluidine blue O. There were no false positive immunofluorescent stains. In a similar study of a series of 25 patients at another institution, a diagnosis of P. carinii pneumonia was made in 23 of 25 patients by staining of induced sputum. We conclude that examination of induced sputum is a rapid, sensitive, and inexpensive method for diagnosing P. carinii pneumonia and that indirect immunofluorescence is a practical and highly sensitive staining technique for establishing this diagnosis.


Although highly active antiretroviral therapy has enabled constant progress in reducing HIV-1 replication, in some patients who are "aviremic" during treatment, the problem of insufficient immune restoration remains, and this exposes them to the risk of immune deficiency-associated pathologies. Various mechanisms may combine and account for this impaired immunologic response to treatment. A first possible mechanism is immune activation, which may be because of residual HIV production, microbial translocation, co-infections, immunosenescence, or lymphopenia per se. A second mechanism is ongoing HIV replication. Finally, deficient thymus output, sex, and genetic polymorphism influencing apoptosis may impair immune reconstitution. In this review we will discuss the tools at our disposal to identify the various mechanisms at work in a given patient and the specific therapeutic strategies we could propose based on this etiologic diagnosis.


Education is a key factor for the growth of human capital. Human capital is directly related to economic growth and development of a country. This paper looks at the economic returns and cost to different fields of study in Pakistan. To assess the return to education, two main degree program - master's and professional bachelor's - are taken into account. Benefits to the individual have been calculated using the government pay scale. Household income data and individual expenditure have been used for calculating per capita educational expenditure. This data has been derived from Pakistan Social and Living Standard Measurement Survey (2004-05). The data is analyzed using Net Present Value (NPV) and Internal Rate of Return (IRR). The result reveals that the rate of return calculated for master's degree is 26.52% which is comparatively more than professional bachelor's degree as it is calculated as 23.83%. The results presented in this study are important to government, academic, and policy makers.


This paper studied surface discharge characteristics by a dielectric constant and diameter of solid dielectrics in N2/O2 mixture gas. Applied electric field strength at N2/O2 mixture gas was changed from the dielectric constant and diameter of the solid dielectrics, and insulation performance of the N2/O2 mixture gas determined surface discharge voltage. In each of the diameter at the solid dielectrics, the surface discharge voltage was increased by lengthening surface distance, whereas increasing rate of the surface discharge voltage was different from gas pressure. Thus, In this paper, main factors of surface discharge are as follows. 1) Insulation performance of N2/O2 mixture gas, 2) Dielectric constant of solid dielectrics, 3) Surface discharge path. It was clear that the surface discharge voltage depend on the main factors. These results will be applied to useful data for an eco-friendly composite insulation design.


Figures of Diasporic Cultural Production: Some Entries from the Palestinian Lexicon The article takes as its starting point the idea that every diaspora has its own particular lexicon. Discussing recent attempts to define the concept, Bardenstein argues that diasporas are not reified static entities but always in flux and, therefore, defy rigid categorizations. This tension between the specific and the universal is reflected in the set of figures of cultural production that Bardenstein describes as structuring the particular lexicon of the Palestian diaspora, while simultaneously suggesting that they are not unique to this context. These figures include the "diasporic fragment" (the fixation on particular metonymic fragments), "diasporic anachronisms" (certain kinds of disjunctures of diasporic time) and the "composite" or piecing together of new entities from bits and pieces of existing ones.


Soil is one of the favorable habitat for microorganism. It considered being the home of wide range of them in particularly, bacteria and fungi. Southern Iraq is characterized by a multiplicity of ecosystem, which include desert, agricultural and marine areas, each of which has special composition that differs from the neighboring system, whether in terms of vegetation or various environmental factors. This in diversity, in turn, may lead to microbial diversity that can be used in different biotechnologies. Regarding that little is known about yeast diversity in such habitats, and therefore the current study aims to assess the yeast community in soil and sediments samples from Basrah and Dhi-Qar provinces, Southern Iraq. Thirty-one species belong to 19 genera were encountered. The isolated species consist of 16 species of Ascomycota and 15 species of Basidiomycota. The soil of Basrah and Dhi-Qar support the growth of diverse species belonged to the genera Aureobasidium, Cutaneotrichosporon, Debaryomyces, Filobasidium Geotrichum, Hanseniaspora, Lodderomyces, Meyerozyma, Symmetrospora, Torulaspora, Vishniacozyma, Pichia, Yarrowia, Cystobasidium, Galactomyces, Rhodotorula, Wickerhamomyces, Candida and Naganishia. One hundred and twelve fungal isolates were identified using the conventional methods depending on morphological characteristics. CHROMagar candida was used as differential culture medium. Iodine stain was used to differentiate ascospores and basidiospores. In addition biochemical method represented by VITEK was used as well as molecular identification. This study represents the first report of occurrence of yeast species in soil and surface sediment samples from Basrah and Dhi-Qar provinces, Southern, Iraq, with effect of some ecological factors on isolation yeast from different location.


Abstract:Our case study looks at the events surrounding the sacking of Google engineer James Damore who was fired for authoring a memo which stated that women are biologically less suited to high-stress, high-status technical employment than men. Damore, asserting that his document 'was absolutely consistent with what he'd seen online', instantly became an ambivalent hero of the alt-right. Like the men who own and run the companies of Silicon Valley, the software engineer subscribes to the idea that the world can be understood and altered through the rigorous application of the scientific method. And as he draws on bodies of knowledge from evolutionary psychology and mathematical biology, we see how the core belief structures of Silicon Valley, when transferred from the technical to the cultural and social domain, can reproduce the sort of misogynistic 'rationalism' that fuels the alt-right. We argue that Damore's memo is in line with Google's ideology of 'dataism': that is the belief that the world can be reduced to decontextualised information and subject to quantifiable logics. Through its use of dataism, the memo reveals much about the similarities and continuities between Damore, the ideas laid out in his memo, and Google itself. Rather than being in opposition, these two entities are jostling for a place in the patriarchal structures of a new form of capitalism.


The selection of variable stars in the Tycho catalogue was re-considered. A method based on a Kolmogorov–Smirnov test was elaborated, giving 729 candidate variable stars. This number could increase to about 1000 in the future.


Abstract The short intervention pleads for a comprehensive analysis of architecture in the sense of an encompassing history of the built environment. Trespassing beyond the study of formal invention and mere aesthetic qualities, the paper argues for a holistic or systemic approach that aims at incorporating the many truly fundamental and foundational aspects, like capital in the form of land or financial resources, or power. Since many forces shape the building, it is a unique source in its own right that can be used, in turn, for an enhanced understanding of past societies. At the same time, this broader assessment is meaningful and relevant for us today.


We develop a theory of decidable inductive invariants for an infinite-state variant of the Applied pi-calculus, with applications to automatic verification of stateful cryptographic protocols with unbounded sessions/nonces. Since in the presence of unbounded sessions any trace property becomes undecidable, we focus on (i) depth-bounded protocols, a generalisation of a class of infinite-state protocols proposed by D'Osualdo, Ong and Tiu; and (ii) downward-closed properties, which include many security properties such as absence of leaks of secrets.
We study the structure of depth-bounded protocols within the framework of ideal completions for well-structured transition systems. Our main contribution is a class of expressions, called limits, that are shown sound and complete for representing infinite downward-closed sets of configurations of depth-bounded protocols. We provide direct algorithms to prove that a given limit is an inductive invariant for a protocol. Inductive invariants of this form can be inferred, and represent an independently checkable certificate of correctness. To evaluate whether the approach is viable, we provide a prototype implementation and we report on its performance on some illustrative examples.


Background Although European Society of Urogenital Radiology proposed the potential of multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (MP-MRI) as a tool in the diagnostic pathway for prostate cancer (PCa) and published a unified scoring system named Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS version 1), these still need to be validated by real-life studies. Objective To evaluate the role of MP-MRI in detection and prediction of PCa. Methods Patients with clinical suspicion of PCa who underwent prebiopsy MP-MRI from 2002 to 2009 were recruited. MP-MRI results were retrospectively assigned as overall scores using PI-RADS by two radiologists. Patients were followed and the end point was the diagnosis of PCa. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve was performed to test diagnostic efficacy of MP-MRI, under results of biopsy within three months. The cox proportional hazards model was used to identify independent variables for the detection of PCa. Results Finally, 1113 of the 1806 enrolled patients were included for analysis. The median follow-up was 56.0 months (1–137 mo). For 582 patients biopsied within three months, area under the curve for the detection of PCa with MP-MRI was 0.88 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.75–1.00) in group of baseline prostate specific antigen (PSA) 0.01–4.00 ng/ml (n = 31), 0.90 (95% CI, 0.84–0.95) in PSA 4.01–10.00 ng/ml (n = 142), and 0.91 (95% CI, 0.87–0.94) in PSA >10.00 ng/ml (n = 409), respectively. In the cox model adjusted for age and baseline PSA level, for the detection rate of PCa, compared with PI-RADS 1–2 (reference), the hazard ratio was 6.43 (95% CI, 4.29–9.65) for PI-RADS 3, 18.58 (95% CI, 13.36–25.84) for PI-RADS 4–5 (p < 0.001). Conclusions Prebiopsy MP-MRI with PI-RADS is demonstrated as a valuable diagnostic and predictive tool for PCa.


A scheme of information hiding for H.264/AVC based on encoding mode is proposed. Secret information is embedded in 1-frame, P-frame and B-frame through adjustment of the encoding mode of given macroblocks. For the macroblocks provided with the encoding mode of intra 4×4. secret data is embedded by modulating the encoding mode of some 4×4 block. For other macroblocks in P-frame and B-frame, the hiding of information is implemented by modifying the encoding mode of macroblock. After the modulation of mode, an optimized processing for the macroblock is carried out to improve the coding efficiency. By introducing the rate-distortion cost during the process of mode modulating, the proposed algorithm achieves a better balance of rate-distortion. Meanwhile, it has less influence on the quality of video and the bit-rate of video. This scheme could detect the secret information rapidly, which meets the requirement of the real-time processing of video. Experimental results also demonstrate that it is an extremely effective scheme.


Microfluidic systems hold great potential for the study of live microscopic cultures of cells, tissue samples, and small organisms. Integration of hyperpolarization would enable quantitative studies of metabolism in such volume limited systems by high-resolution NMR spectroscopy. We demonstrate, for the first time, the integrated generation and detection of a hyperpolarized metabolite on a microfluidic chip. The metabolite [1-13C]fumarate is produced in a nuclear hyperpolarized form by (i) introducing para-enriched hydrogen into the solution by diffusion through a polymer membrane, (ii) reaction with a substrate in the presence of a ruthenium-based catalyst, and (iii) conversion of the singlet-polarized reaction product into a magnetized form by the application of a radiofrequency pulse sequence, all on the same microfluidic chip. The microfluidic device delivers a continuous flow of hyperpolarized material at the 2.5 μL/min scale, with a polarization level of 4%. We demonstrate two methods for mitigating singlet–triplet mixing effects which otherwise reduce the achieved polarization level.


Carbon material doped with nitrogen and transition metal is a kind of promising candidate of the platinum for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) process due to its low cost, efficiency and stability. Here we demonstrate an original type of Fe/N/C catalyst based on pore-in-pore structures (P–P Fe/N/C), showing one of the highest oxygen reduction reaction performances among all reported Fe/N/C-type catalysts (onset potential of 0.995 V, half-wave potential of 0.881 V vs. RHE with a relatively low mass loading of 0.32 mg cm−2 and long-term durability (97% relative current in 60 000 s operation) in alkaline media. Such outstanding performances can be ascribed to the efficient active sites activated by the encapsulated atomic and subnanoscale iron, and great exposure of these active sites due to the unique pore-in-pore hierarchical construction. Once assembled in lithium–O2 batteries, a specific capacity of 7250 mA h g−1 at 70 mA g−1 can be obtained by the P–P Fe/N/C catalyst. Moreover, upon cycling, the P–P Fe/N/C electrode can be cycled 150 times with no capacity loss, which is much longer than six cycles of pure Super P air electrode. These results evidently reveal the developed Fe/N/C catalyst holds great promise to serve as an alternative to the conventional Pt-based noble metal catalysts.


Symptomatology.-In this series of 184 cases the initial symptom was as follows: Symptom No. Low backache .. Low back stiffness without pain Low back stiffness with slight pain Buttock pains .. Pain in "hips, groins or thigh" Sciatica .. .. Pain and/or swelling of knees Pain and/or swelling of ankles, heels or feet .. "Rheumatic fever" Pyrexia of unknown origin with generalized aches and pains of Cases 70 18 10 21 16 9 7


The focus of this volume is broad, both historically and topically. Berlin and Vienna, modernity and postmodernity, the twentieth cen tury and two incisive Wenden of a tumultuous millennium offer an opportunity to examine central issues in the relationship among European culture, history, and politics. Cities provide a rich location to examine expressions of creativity, growth, and change over the course of one hundred years. As a transit point of entry and exit, the city becomes a site for exchange and cross-fertilization of peoples, ideas, and commodities. Cities are nodes in a network whose spokes extend beyond their metropolitan borders and bring intellectual and physical nourishment to surrounding areas. This European century will be known for its great cities and the production of cultural objects that spread around the globe. Less dramatically, nevertheless significant for the transfer of knowledge, academic figures will also be remembered for the dissemination of these intellectual traditions


In this study the impact of an educational programme during antenatal period was evaluated. Pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic formed the study material. The first 100 mothers who were not given health education served as controls. The subsequent 201 cases constituted the study group and were given health education on certain aspects of maternal and child care. The control and study groups were well matched for age, parity, education, income and number of antenatal visits. The results indicated that the mothers in study group gained statistically significant knowledge regarding the purpose of antenatal care, hematinics and tetanus toxoid vaccination. The awareness regarding breast feeding and its advantages also increased significantly in the study group. The knowledge about individual vaccine especially measles and DPT was poor which increased significantly after the educational intervention in the study group. It is recommended that the antenatal period should be optimally utilized to impart health education on the various aspects of maternal and child health.