This study was aimed to find out the level of parental expertise in sign language and its role for academic achievements of children with HI (HI). The study was descriptive in nature. The participants of this study were 100 children with HI and their hearing parents. These children were studying at secondary and higher secondary schools which providing inclusive education.


The paper applies the economic transition models and econometric convergence tests proposed by Phillips and Sul (2006) using data on per capita Gross Regional Domestic Product (1988-2008) to determine if 14 Philippine regional economies converge to a steady state path over a period of time. The paper explores modeling and analyzing the economic transition behavior of the regions. Regional relative transition paths are investigated to generate a graphical overview of the behavior of the regional economies. The log t convergence test, which is constructed from a transition differential decay model, is used to establish if a region converges to a steady state path or diverges from a steady state path. The test basically provides the basis for a stepwise clustering algorithm in finding convergence clusters and analyzing transition behavior between clusters. The paper identifies convergence clubs and determines divergent regional economies using a recursive procedure that revolves around the log t convergence test.


Abstract. The survey and monitoring system of natural resources is the basis for finding out and monitoring the background data in the new era. The classification standard is an important cornerstone in the survey and monitoring system. The classification standard appears in the whole process of natural resources, such as survey, monitoring, evaluation, planning and control etc. Classification results are widely used in natural resource asset management, territorial space use controlling, ecological protection and restoration. Therefore, only a classification standard with the unified, scientific and practical characteristics is constructed, a survey and monitoring system with "six unifications" can be built. This paper refines the existing status and the main problem of existing classification standards, and then puts forward the construction ideas and three suggestions for the new classification standards, which hoping to provide a reference for local survey and monitoring pilots and national classification standard construction.


Application of high magnetic fields in materials processing has started. A high magnetic field enhances not only a Lorentz force in a weak electric current but also a magnetization force in non-magnetic materials. The main results obtained from the application of a high magnetic field to the processing of several materials is reviewed. These include the alignment of particles in a composite coating as an example of a Lorentz force and the separation of inclusions in a molten metal for mass transport using magnetic force. Orientation of crystals of non-magnetic materials using magnetization force is mentioned. The orientation was conducted in such processes as electro-deposition, vapour-deposition, solidification, baking, slip-casting and precipitation.


Context. Systematic theoretical calculations of Doppler beaming factors are scarce in the literature, particularly in the case of white dwarfs. Additionally, there are no specific calculations for the limb-darkening coefficients of 3D white dwarf models.
Aims. The objective of this research is to provide the astronomical community with Doppler beaming calculations for a wide range of effective temperatures, local gravities, and hydrogen/metal content for white dwarfs as well as stars on both the main sequence and the giant branch. In addition, we present the theoretical calculations of the limb-darkening coefficients for 3D white dwarf models for the first time.
Methods. We computed Doppler beaming factors for DA, DB, and DBA white dwarf models, as well as for main sequence and giant stars covering the transmission curves of the Sloan, UBVRI, HiPERCAM, Kepler, TESS, and Gaia photometric systems. The calculations of the limb-darkening coefficients for 3D models were carried out using the least-squares method for these photometric systems.
Results. The input physics of the white dwarf models for which we have computed the Doppler beaming factors are: chemical compositions log [H/He] = −10.0 (DB), −2.0 (DBA), and He/H = 0 (DA), with log g varying between 5.0 and 9.5 and effective temperatures in the range 3750–100 000 K. The beaming factors were also calculated assuming non-local thermodynamic equilibrium for the case of DA white dwarfs with Teff >  40 000 K. For the mixing-length parameters, we adopted ML2/α = 0.8 (DA case) and 1.25 (DB and DBA). The Doppler beaming factors for main sequence and giant stars were computed using the ATLAS9 version, characterized by metallicities ranging from [−2.5, 0.2] solar abundances, with log g varying between 0 and 5.0 and effective temperatures between 3500 and 50 000 K. The adopted microturbulent velocity for these models was 2.0 km s−1. The limb-darkening coefficients were computed for three-dimensional DA and DB white dwarf models calculated with the CO5BOLD radiation-hydrodynamics code. The parameter range covered by the three-dimensional DA models spans log g values between 7.0 and 9.0 and Teff between 6000 and 15 000 K, while He/H = 0. The three-dimensional DB models cover a similar parameter range of log g between 7.5 and 9.0 and Teff between 12 000 and 34 000 K, while logH/He = −10.0. We adopted six laws for the computation of the limb-darkening coefficients: linear, quadratic, square root, logarithmic, power-2, and a general one with four coefficients.
Conclusions. The beaming factor calculations, which use realistic models of stellar atmospheres, show that the black body approximation is not accurate, particularly for the filters u, u′, U, g, g′, and B. The black body approach is only valid for high effective temperatures and/or long effective wavelengths. Therefore, for more accurate analyses of light curves, we recommend the use of the beaming factors presented in this paper. Concerning limb-darkening, the distribution of specific intensities for 3D models indicates that, in general, these models are less bright toward the limb than their 1D counterparts, which implies steeper profiles. To describe these intensities better, we recommend the use of the four-term law (also for 1D models) given the level of precision that is being achieved with Earth-based instruments and space missions such as Kepler and TESS (and PLATO in the future).


Paraquat is one of the most widely used non-selective herbicides and has elicited the emergence of paraquat resistant weeds. However, the molecular mechanisms of paraquat resistance are not completely understood. Here we report an Arabidopsis gain-of-function mutant pqt15-D with significantly enhanced resistance to paraquat and the corresponding PQT15 encoding the MATE transporter DTX6. A point mutation at +932 bp in DTX6 causing the G311E amino acid residue change brings about the enhanced paraquat resistance of pqt15-D. Overexpression of DTX6/PQT15 in the wild type also confers strong paraquat resistance, whereas the DTX6/PQT15 knockout mutants exhibits hypersensitive phenotype to paraquat. Moreover, heterologous expression of DTX6 and DTX6-D in E. coli significantly enhances bacterial resistance to paraquat. DTX6/PQT15 mainly localizes in the plasma membrane as shown by DTX6-GFP and functions as a paraquat efflux transporter as demonstrated by paraquat efflux assays with isolated protoplasts and bacterial cells. Taken together, our results demonstrate that DTX6/PQT15 is an efflux transporter and confers paraquat resistance by exporting paraquat out of cytosol, therefore unraveling a molecular mechanism of paraquat resistance in higher plants and providing a promising candidate of generating paraquat resistance crops.


We present a novel single-view surface normal estimation method that combines traditional line and vanishing point analysis with a deep learning approach. Starting from a color image and a Manhattan line map, we use a deep neural network to regress on a dense normal map, and a dense Manhattan label map that identifies planar regions aligned with the Manhattan directions. We fuse the normal map and label map in a fully differentiable manner to produce a refined normal map as final output. To do so, we softly decompose the output into a Manhattan part and a non-Manhattan part. The Manhattan part is treated by discrete classification and vanishing points, while the non-Manhattan part is learned by direct supervision. Our method achieves state-of-the-art results on standard single-view normal estimation benchmarks. More importantly, we show that by using vanishing points and lines, our method has better generalization ability than existing works. In addition, we demonstrate how our surface normal network can improve the performance of depth estimation networks, both quantitatively and qualitatively, in particular, in 3D reconstructions of walls and other flat surfaces.


Lime content of soils is one of the most important factors limiting zinc (Zn) availability to crops. It is also known that there may be a close relationship between soil moisture levels and Zn use efficiency of plant species. Thus, further studies would be needed concerning these relationships under the varied soils. In this study, a pot experiment was conducted using calcareous soil by growing different soybean genotypes of A-3735, A-3127, SA-88, S-4340 and Ilisulu-20. Zinc fertilizer at the levels of 0, 5, 10 µg Zn g-1 as ZnSO4.7H2O was applied to the soil. Pots were irrigated based on increasing soil matric potentials of -65 kPa (I1), -45 kPa (I2) and  -25 kPa (I3), respectively. After harvest, plant dry matter yield was recorded, and Zn concentrations in tops of soybean plants were determined. Dry matter yield, Zn content and accumulations significantly (P<0.01) differed among soybean genotypes under the Zn treatments. Soil moisture stress significantly decreased physiological responses of soybean genotypes to Zn treatments. Significant differences also existed among the soybean genotypes in their ability to accumulate Zn in leaves. The results have also clearly revealed that detailed georeferenced maps would be useful to manage the relationship between site specific soil moisture levels and Zn use efficiency of crops, especially on calcareous soils.

 Key words: Soybean genotypes, soil matric potential, zinc sulphate.


Ossifications associated with the gill filaments of members of the Balitoridae and Cobitidae are described for the first time. Although gill-filament ossifications are common in teleosts, similar ossifications were not observed in other members of the order Cypriniformes. Their presence is interpreted as a shared and derived character uniting the families Balitoridae and Cobitidae as a monophyletic group.


The reverence of the experimental method in psychotherapy research, even where it is pointless or unwarranted, is taken as an instance of the rhetoric function of science. The distinguishing features of an experiment, manipulation and randomization, are explicated. The vital assumption of the effect of the experimental treatment being constant among subjects is demonstrated, and it is concluded that this assumption is unwarranted, on both theoretical and empirical grounds, as applied to psychotherapy.


In this study, two kinds of dyes Direct Dark Brown M and Acid Mordant Brown RH were used with dried activated sludge as the adsorbent. The experimental results indicated that the adsorption process followed the second-order kinetic model and at the same time can be described by the first-order rate expression of Lagergren. The adsorption isotherms of Acid Mordant Brown RH fit Freundlich equation and that of Acid Mordant Brown RH followed both Freundlich equation and Langmuir equation. The octanol/water partitioning coefficient log P for both dyes calculated using fragment constant method were 4.65 and 0.22 respectively, indicating the conformity with the adsorption of two kinds of dyes onto dried activated sludge.


Abstract. Organic matter production by cyanobacteria blooms is a major environmental
concern for the Baltic Sea, as it promotes the spread of anoxic zones. Partial
pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2) measurements carried out on Ships
of Opportunity (SOOP) since 2003 have proven to be a powerful tool to resolve
the carbon dynamics of the blooms in space and time. However, SOOP
measurements lack the possibility to directly constrain depth-integrated net
community production (NCP) in moles of carbon per surface area due to their
restriction to the sea surface. This study tackles the knowledge gap through
(1) providing an NCP best guess for an individual cyanobacteria bloom based
on repeated profiling measurements of pCO2 and (2) establishing an
algorithm to accurately reconstruct depth-integrated NCP from surface
pCO2 observations in combination with modelled temperature profiles. Goal (1) was achieved by deploying state-of-the-art sensor technology from
a small-scale sailing vessel. The low-cost and flexible platform enabled
observations covering an entire bloom event that occurred in July–August 2018
in the Eastern Gotland Sea. For the biogeochemical interpretation, recorded
pCO2 profiles were converted to CT*, which is the
dissolved inorganic carbon concentration normalised to alkalinity. We found
that the investigated bloom event was dominated by Nodularia and had
many biogeochemical characteristics in common with blooms in previous
years. In particular, it lasted for about 3 weeks, caused a
CT* drawdown of 90 µmol kg−1, and was accompanied
by a sea surface temperature increase of 10 ∘C. The novel
finding of this study is the vertical extension of the CT*
drawdown up to the compensation depth located at around
12 m. Integration of the CT* drawdown across this depth
and correction for vertical fluxes leads to an NCP best guess of ∼1.2 mol m−2 over the productive
period. Addressing goal (2), we combined modelled hydrographical profiles with surface
pCO2 observations recorded by SOOP Finnmaid within the
study area. Introducing the temperature penetration depth (TPD) as a new
parameter to integrate SOOP observations across depth, we achieve an NCP
reconstruction that agrees to the best guess within 10 %, which is
considerably better than the reconstruction based on a classical mixed-layer
depth constraint. Applying the TPD approach to almost 2 decades of surface pCO2
observations available for the Baltic Sea bears the potential to provide new
insights into the control and long-term trends of cyanobacteria NCP. This
understanding is key for an effective design and monitoring of conservation
measures aiming at a Good Environmental Status of the Baltic Sea.


Objectives: To compare the intra- and postoperative complications with or without urethral catheterization in caesarian sections in terms of accidental cystotomy, urinary retention and urinary tract infection. Methodology: This study was conducted at Fatima Bai Hospital for one and half year period from June 2007 to December 2008. One hundred and twenty consecutive patients underwent caesarian section were enrolled and randomly assigned into Group A (with catheterization) and Group B (without catheterization). Main outcome measures were accidental bladder injury peroperatively (i.e. accidental cystotomy), urinary retention and urinary tract infection (>10 leucocytes on). Urine Detailed Report The SPSS version 11 was used to analyze data. Student t-test and chi2 test was used where appropriate. The significance level was set at p value < 0.05. Results: Total 60 patients with Mean+SD age of 31.45±8.38 years included in group A while 60 patients with Mean+SD age of 29.83+8.53 years were included in group B. Accidental cystotomy was not noticed in both groups. Urinary catheterization when carried out preoperatively, had significantly higher rates of urinary tract infection (28.3%) as compared to women in whom preoperative catheterization was not performed (11.7%; p=0.022). Same trend was observed in terms of urinary retention in both groups (p=0.047). Conclusion: Practice of routine catheterization prior to Cesarean section needs to be reviewed skeptically as it is likely to increase the risk of urinary tract infections and retention in women postoperatively


The humeral component has a long track record of a low rate of humeral loosening. Moreover, there are significant challenges associated with removal of a failed cemented component.

Throckmorton reviewed the results of 76 total shoulder arthroplasties for osteoarthritis with minimum two year follow-up. There were incomplete lucent lines in 5/76 stems. None of the stem were judged to be at risk for loosening. Matsen published on the outcome of 131 shoulder arthroplasties for osteoarthritis with minimum two year follow-up. In this series, there were no components with shift or tilt.

In addition to strong literature support for the use of an uncemented humeral component, revision of a cemented humeral component can be very difficult with a risk of significant destruction of the humerus.

The cortex of the humerus tends to be thin and removing the cement can be similar to trying to remove concrete from an ice cream cone.

Therefore, the extremely low rate of loosening and the challenges associated with cemented components makes the non-cemented component the ideal humeral solution.


We used electrooculography to study the saccadic velocities, smooth pursuit, and vestibular ocular reflex in a patient with an acute thalamic hemorrhage. Our findings confirmed what others have shown in that there were hypometric saccades contralateral to the lesion, impaired smooth pursuit ipsilaterally, and a preserved vestibular ocular reflex. In addition, we demonstrated an asymmetry with the contralateral eye being more affected. It is also shown that the "convergence" movements seen on attempted upgaze are typical of saccades and not vergence movements. A discussion of possible pathophysiologic mechanisms with review of other studies is presented.


The zinc uptake in the dorsolateral prostate of rats was studied after different hormonal manipulations. Orchiectomy reduced the uptake of 65Zn. Administration of estradiol benzoate to orchiectomized rats doubled the 65Zn uptake, a phenomenon which was not observed in orchiectomized-adrenalectomized rats. Adrenalectomy in orchiectomized rats had no effect on the concentration of radioactivity beyond the castration-induced decrease. A prolactin release inhibitor, 6-methyl-8-erogelenylacetamide, reduced the radioactivity concentration without changing the weight of the gland. Cyproterone acetate reduced the weight but not the radioactivity concentration. The concentration of 65Zn in the ventral prostate was not changed by orchiectomy, adrenalectomy, or the administration of estradiol benzoate, prolactin release inhibiors, or cyproterone acetate. The results suggest an important role for prolactin in the zinc uptake in the dorsolateral prostate but not in the ventral prostate.


Summary: Chlorobium vibrioforme f. sp. thiosulfatophilum was shown to oxidize sulphate via substrate phosphorylation involving adenylylsulphate (APS) reductase, ADP-sulphurylase and adenylate kinase. APS reductase was purified 200-fold and shown to be a flavoprotein of molecular weight 1.8 × 105, containing 1 mol flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD), 4-6 mol non-haem iron and 6-8 mol labile sulphide (mol enzyme)-1. Substrate inhibition of the enzyme was observed when the AMP concentration was above 2 mM. ADP-sulphurylase purified free of adenylate kinase had an apparent K
m value for APS of 0.25 mM, which increased with decreasing concentrations of phosphate.


Mammalian responses to bacterial LPS (lipopolysaccharide) from the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria can lead to an uncontrolled inflammatory response that can be deadly for the host. It has been shown that the innate immune system employs at least three cell surface receptors, CD14, TLR4 (Toll-like receptor 4) and MD-2, in order to recognize bacterial LPS. In our previous work we have found that Hsps (heat-shock proteins) are also involved in the innate recognition of bacterial products. Their presence on the cell surface, as well as their involvement in the innate recognition process, are poorly understood. In the present study we have investigated the association of TLR4 with Hsp70 and Hsp90 following LPS stimulation, both on the cell surface and intracellularly. Our results show that Hsp70 and Hsp90 form a cluster with TLR4 within lipid microdomains following LPS stimulation. In addition, Hsp70 and Hsp90 seem to be involved in TLR4/LPS trafficking and targeting to the Golgi apparatus, since upon LPS stimulation we found that both Hsps are targeted to the Golgi along with TLR4. The present study sheds new light into the involvement of Hsps in the innate immune response.


The article is dedicated to the problem of studying the mechanism of legal regulation of social relations as well as one of its elements, namely, the rule of law. Due to the fact that legal regulation is characterized by general properties, laws and tendencies, the issue of rights-terminating legal facts in the mechanism of legal regulation of civil relations is actual and requires in-depth scientific research. The article aims to determine the place of rules of law and rights-terminating legal facts in the mechanism of legal regulation of social relations. The authors come to the conclusion that the mechanism of achieving the aim of legal regulation should be understood as a consistent chain of changes in individual legal phenomena: legal fact, rights and duties which exist in the civil-legal relations that arose on its basis, implementation of these rights and duties, and if necessary, their protection as well


The reactions of parents and F1 and F2 generations of crosses of chickpea [Cicer arietinum] cultivars K-850 with C-104 and JG-62 and F3 progenies of K-850 × C-104 to race 1 of F. oxysporum f.sp. ciceri were studied. Results indicate that K-850 carries a recessive allele for resistance at a locus different from and independent of that carried by C-104 and recessive alleles at both loci together confer complete resistance. The possible contribution of this recessive gene to late wilting in K-850 is discussed. It is concluded that these observations have important implications in breeding for resistance to wilt in chickpea.


Three cases of gallbladder hydrops associated with Kawasaki disease are presented. The initial manifestations were high fever, jaundice and distended abdomen with guarding. The first two cases received laparotomy under the impression of suppurative cholecystitis with peritonitis. A markedly distended acalculous, nongangrenous gallbladder was noted. A cholecystostomy for drainage was performed. Diagnosis of Kawasaki disease was made only when the clinical manifestations became full-blown postoperatively. Both patients led an uneventful postoperative course. The third case had apparent features of Kawasaki disease at admission though the abdominal symptoms were rather prominent. With supportive care, the patient stabilized by the sixth hospital day without complication and did not require surgical intervention. We suggest that the preferred treatment of abdominal symptoms in Kawasaki disease is medical, and surgical intervention is deserved only for the complications of the hydrops. Simple cholecystostomy seems to be safe and sufficient for such occasion. Ultrasonography is helpful for the correct diagnosis of gallbladder hydrops and can exclude dilatation of the intrahepatic biliary trees and cholelithiasis.


The authors report a new nanosecond-pulsed dielectric-barrier discharge (DBD) for sterilization and other medical applications. In the literature, several discharges have been reported, with pulse durations on the order of hundreds of nanoseconds. In this paper, a novel pulsed DBD has been developed, with only few tens of nanosecond pulsewidths working uniformly over large range of electrode gap distance in air under atmospheric pressure.


From the viewpoint of fundamentally examining the weld metal solidification process by referring to knowledges of casting to prevent the high speed SAW solidification defect, investigations were previously made on the relationship between the solidification variables in weld pool and the solidified microstructures using 25Cr-20Ni austenitic steels (Reports Nos. 1 and 2). In the present report, solute behaviours during weld metal solidification have been discussed.In the weld pool quickly solidifying close to a high-temperature heat source, a violent liquid flow occurs. This is a large difference between welding and casting. In the previous examination, however, it was shown that the formation mechanisms of solidified microstructures for both welding and casting are identical owing to a great thermal influence, in spite of their difference in liquid flow condition.On the other hand, the influence of liquid flow was clearly revealed on the solute behaviours such as micro- and macro-segregation. The present report has quantitatively pointed out the features of such behaviours. Moreover, the micro-segregation results have been applied to Burton's analytical solution concerning the degree of liquid-phase mixing to estimate the flow actions at various parts of SAW weld pool.


The in vitro activity of 28 veterinary antiseptic drugs was studied on 4 bacterial strains either with or without calf serum. Eight preparations (VT Dose, Dulcidrine, Collyre Clément, Cronic, Detecaïne, Lotion Maudor, Tano-Patt, Aurikan), half of which were eye-lotions, were found to be non antiseptic according to AFNOR standards. In the presence of calf serum, 4 other preparations (Albacetine, Nybocaïne, Pediplasme, Pedifort) did not meet the standard NF T 72.171 criteria.


Monitoring the state of the optical network is a key enabler for programmability of network functions, protocols and efficient use of the spectrum. A particular challenge is to provide the SDN-EON controller with a panoramic view of the complete state of the optical spectrum. This paper describes an architecture for compact on-chip spectrometry targeting high resolution across the entire C-band to reliably and accurately measure the spectral profile of WDM signals in fixed and flex-grid architectures. An industry standard software tool is used to validate the performance of the spectrometer. The fabrication of the proposed design is found to be practical.


Deregulated miRNAs participate in osteosarcoma genesis. In this study, the expression of miRNA-218 in human osteosarcomas, adjacent normal tissues and Saos-2 human osteosarcoma cells was first assessed. Then the precise role of miRNA-218 in osteosarcoma cells was investigated. Upon transfection with a miR-218 expression vector, the proliferation of Saos-2 human osteosarcoma cells determined using the ATPlite assay was significantly suppressed, whilw migration of Saos-2 cells detected by wound healing and invasion determined using transwells were dramatically inhibited. Potential target genes of miR-218 were predicted and T-cell lymphoma invasion and metastasis 1 (TIAM1) and matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2) and 9 (MMP9) were identified. This was confirmed by western blotting, which showed that miR-218 expression inhibited TIAM1, MMP2 and MMP9 protein expression. Collectively, these data suggest that miR-218 acts as a tumor suppressor in osteosarcomas by down-regulating TIAM1, MMP2 and MMP9 expression.


Cirrhosis is a high-risk state for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development and represents an opportunity to prevent cancer. In the precancerous state of cirrhosis, there is an accumulation of neoantigens that may be specifically targetable through immunotherapy. We asked whether immune checkpoint inhibition could prevent tumorigenesis in a mouse model of diethylnitrosamine and carbon tetrachloride–induced HCC. We found that initiation of anti-PD-1 therapy prior to tumorigenesis could prevent up to 46% of liver tumors. This significant reduction in tumor burden was accompanied by infiltration of CD4+ Th cells and CD8+ cytotoxic T cells into the liver parenchyma. Importantly, anti-PD-1 therapy did not exacerbate liver dysfunction or worsen overall health in this liver disease model. Given the safety and preservation of quality of life observed with long-term immunotherapy use, an immunotherapy chemoprevention strategy is likely associated with a low risk-to-benefit ratio and high value care in select patients. These results encourage a prevention trial in cirrhotic patients with the highest risk of developing HCC. See related Spotlight by Mohammed et al., p. 897


Turbulence calculations with a 3D collisional fluid plasma model demonstrate qualitative and semi-quantitative similarity to experimental data in the Large Plasma Device [W. Gekelman et al., Rev. Sci. Inst. 62, 2875 (1991)], in particular for the temporal spectra, fluctuations amplitude, spatial correlation length, and radial particle flux. Several experimentally observed features of plasma turbulence are qualitatively reproduced, and quantitative agreement is achieved at the order-of-magnitude level. The calculated turbulence fluctuations have non-Gaussian characteristics, however the radial flux of plasma density is consistent with Bohm diffusion. Electric polarization of density blobs does not appear to play a significant role in the studied case. Turbulence spectra exhibit direct and inverse cascades in both azimuthal and axial wavenumbers and indicate coupling between the drift instability and Kelvin-Helmholtz mode. VC 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3567033]


The underground sedimentary bauxite ore body in Shanxi province has a shallow burial depth; the valley terrain caused stress concentration on a pillar which affected the pillar's safety and goaf stability. This paper proposed a pillar safety coefficient calculation method affected by the goaf structural parameters and the valley terrain, which was based on a pillar mechanics analysis under the valley terrain. The results show that the overlying valley terrain will cause stress concentration on the pillar, reducing the adequate bearing capacity and the pillar stability. The increase of the goaf span b and the height of the pillar h is extensively detrimental to pillar stability. Meanwhile, increasing the pillar burial depth would cause the pillar to weaken, but can effectively decrease the influence of the valley terrain. Furthermore, when the angle between the goaf strike and the valley strike β < 50°, β has a more significant impact on the stress concentration and safety coefficient. The stability of an underground sedimentary bauxite pillar is calculated by the method, the result complied with the actual situation.


Abstract : This report is a collection of a number of papers written by numbers of the Joint Satellite Studies Group. The bulk of the papers are concerned with total ionospheric electron content and satellite scintillation. A number of papers describe new equipment that has been developed by the members.


Due to technological advances and the COVID-19 pandemic, taxpayers are increasingly utilizing their homes as a focal point from which to conduct their business affairs. On the one hand, the nation should applaud this workplace transformation insofar as it may enhance job performance and efficiency, reduce product cost and overhead, and improve work–life balance. On the other hand, this transformation process may open the door to rampant tax abuse as taxpayers alone or in collusion with their employers seek to transform home usage into a tax shelter refuge.This analysis delves directly into the income tax compliance concerns that the workplace transformation engenders. It does so by exposing the nature of the problem, its prevalence, what it might cost the nation annually in terms of lost revenue, and why current safeguards are failing to achieve their sought-after objectives. The good news is that if Congress proactively takes immediate remedial measures to address this nascent problem, such actions could help foster taxpayer compliance, defend the income tax base, and halt the depletion of the nation's revenue coffers. However, if Congress dallies and is derelict in fulfilling its oversight duties, this problem is poised to go from bad to worse.


The effect of tensile loadings and proportions of carbon fiber on the allowable stress calculations and static failure analysis of carbon fiber epoxy composites were investigated under uniaxial tensile loadings. Micromechanical modeling analysis was applied to model the failures of composites at the continuum length scale. The results obtained from molecular dynamics analysis of graphene and epoxy, were utilized as inputs in the MAC/GMC micromechanics software to model and evaluate the allowable stress values and static failures of carbon fiber reinforced epoxy composites.
 The computed results for composite elastic allowable stress estimation for the average materials and the static failure analysis were compared and these results were in agreement. The study has added to the understanding of the failure mechanism of the carbon fiber reinforce epoxy composites as well as the interactions of the constituents at failure.


The phylogenetic relationships among the Japanese members of the genus Eubrianax (Coleoptera: Psephenidae) were examined using the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene and nuclear 28S rRNA gene sequences. Based on the molecular phylogeny as well as morphological features, the species status of Eubrianax brunneicornis Nakane, 1952 was proposed. The phylogenetic analyses recovered monophyly of the previously proposed pellucidus species group with four Japanese species, whereas a single Japanese species of the granicollis group was included in the lineage of the ramicornis group with five Japanese species. The divergence times of the species were estimated by dating the phylogenetic tree against the fossil record and a molecular clock based on the COI gene. The divergence of the Japanese species was inferred to have occurred during the Pliocene epoch.


This paper examines the relationship between trading volume and returns in Greek stock index futures market. For both available stock index futures contracts of the Athens Derivatives Exchange (ADEX), we study GARCH effects in our data and test how well these effects are explained by trading volume (under both GARCH and GMM). For FTSE/ASE-20, trading volume contributes significantly in explaining GARCH effects. However, GMM system estimation suggests that there is a significant relationship between lagged volume and absolute returns, while a positive contemporaneous relationship does not hold. Taken together, these findings indicate that market participants use volume as an indication of prices. For FTSE/ASE Mid 40, the empirical results give different conclusions. Both GARCH and GMM methods confirm that there is no evidence of positive relationship between trading volume and returns. These findings are helpful to financial managers dealing with Greek stock index futures.


We consider the determination of optimal portfolios under a lower bound on the final wealth. Possible applications range from capital guarantee strategies over life insurance investment where part of the benefit is a guaranteed return on capital to continuous-time mean-variance problems with a strictly positive lower bound. Our solution method consists of transforming the original problem into a portfolio problem without a positive lower bound but a transformed utility function and a modified initial wealth.


Despite its socio-economic importance, the cultivation of Xylopia aethiopica is not popular owing to the difficulty in seed germination. As a step in its domestication process, investigations were undertaken on germination requirements and desiccation tolerance of seeds. Three substrates (forest top soil, river sand and a mixture of forest top soil and river sand) and 18 pre-germination treatments including a control (untreated seeds), a mechanical scarification, six heat treatments which were done by soaking seeds in hot water (100 °C) for different lengths of time, and ten acid scarifications which were done by soaking seeds in either sulfuric acid or hydrochloric acid for different lengths of time were tested for their effect on seed germination. Results showed that mean percentage germination was higher on the mixture of forest top soil and river sand (29.4 ± 2.6%) than on other substrates tested. While untreated seeds and those soaked in hot water irrespective of the duration of treatment failed to germinate, seed dormancy was successfully broken by either mechanical or chemical scarification. Soaking seeds in either concentrated HCl or concentrated H 2 SO 2 for 5 min were the most effective treatments in breaking dormancy, with 80 ± 6.3% and 70 ± 6.3% mean germination recorded respectively. The desiccation tolerance test showed that X. aethiopica seeds are desiccation-tolerant and their storage behaviour is orthodox. This study shows that for propagating X. aethiopica from seeds, it is recommended that fresh or dried seeds be soaked in either concentrated HCl or concentrated H 2 SO 4 for 5 min, and that seeding be done in substrate composed of a mixture of forest top soil and river sand in a 1:1 (v/v) ratio. Keywords : Spice tree, domestication, seed dormancy, scarification, desiccation tolerance.


We propose a new regeneration scheme for highly spectral efficient formats and through numerical simulations we prove its necessity against traditional 2R solutions for future high capacity systems All-optical regeneration is seen as a promising approach to improve the capacity and reach of long haul transmission systems. In the past, a full 3R functionality (i.e. Re-amplification, Re-shaping, Re-timing) was essential for the regenerative subsystems which had to deal with the prevailing return to zero (RZ) modulated signals. With the recent introduction of highly spectral efficient signals, characterized by non-return to zero (NRZ) modulation of complex constellations (i.e. m-QAM), the re-timing functionality was overlooked and the efforts were focused on advancing only the 2R performance, through schemes that could remove the noise from the multiple amplitude and phase levels of the signal waveform [1-3]. However, in future transmission systems the channels will be densely packed and tight filtering will be required for any in-line channel selection, e.g. to perform all-optical add-drop multiplexing or signal regeneration. Unavoidably, this will give rise to timing jitter effects that will accumulate along the 2R line and drastically limit the system cascadability.


Relatively high cost and limited resources are limiting the broad applications of Li-ion batteries. Na-ion batteries are one of the most promising replacement candidates because of abundant sodium resources, low price and similarity with Li insertion chemistry. For the first time, γ-Fe2O3 film was grown directly on a copper sheet with radio frequency magnetron sputtering as an anode for Na-ion batteries. Results show that the γ-Fe2O3 film annealed at 600 °C delivers a high reversible capacity of 450 mA h g−1 and nearly 100% capacity retention over 100 charge–discharge cycles, significantly outperforming all the previously reported examples. It is believed that the high performance of the Na-ion anode can be attributed to high temperature annealing producing nanopores for a large ion-inserting surface area and uniform γ-Fe2O3 particles firmly loaded on the surface of the Cu substrate to robustly retain the film structure during the Na-ion intercalation process for long cycle life. This work holds great promise for the fabrication of inexpensive and non-toxic Na-ion batteries for practical applications.


We have previously proposed a P2P video broadcast method called MTcast for simultaneously delivering video to user peers with different quality requirements. In this paper, we design and implement a prototype system of MTcast and report the results of its performance evaluation in the real Internet environment. MTcast relies on each peer to transcode and forward video to other peers. We conducted experiments on 20 PlanetLab nodes, evaluated startup delay and recovery time from peer leaving/failure, and confirmed that MTcast achieves practical performance in a real environment.


As the 5th generation (5G) network develops and rolls out rapidly, user requests can be offloaded to nearby edge servers for processing. This alleviates the pressure on the network backhaul and the remote cloud. Nevertheless, the edge user allocation (EUA) problem, as one of the main research challenges in the 5G era, has become a major obstacle to ensuring users' Quality of Experience (QoE) in the edge computing environment. Conventional EUA approaches, ranging from static global allocation model to online decision-making model, have ignored the long-term impact of the changes in users' expectations on user-perceived Quality of Service (QoS). Additionally, most existing approaches have not taken into account the distance between an edge user and an edge server, which impacts the user's data rate profoundly. In this paper, we tackle these challenges by formulating EUA problem as a spatial-temporal one (ST-EUA), which models distance-aware QoS based on the wireless transmission attenuation and models users' QoE based on the Expectation Confirmation Theory (ECT). To find an appropriate solution for ST-EUA problem, we develop two fuzzy control-based approaches, namely FC and BFC, for on demand scenarios and batch processing scenarios, respectively. They can balance effectively the user consolidation and server load. We conduct extensive experiments based on two widely-used real-world datasets. The results demonstrate the superiority of our FC and BFC in effectiveness and efficiency over the baselines and state-of-the-art.


While montelukast (ML), a cysteinyl-leukotriene type 1 receptor (CysLT1) antagonist is widely used to treat symptoms of rhinitis or asthma, its formulations are mainly limited to solid preparation due to its instability. Recently, there have been attempts to develop various ML dosage forms, and this situation increases the demand of sensitive and creditable methods to determine ML in various samples such as plasma. Thus, here, a simple and efficient method to determine ML in rat plasma using liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) and multiple reaction monitoring was presented. The mixture of DCM:EtOAc (25:75, v/v), the optimized extract solvent for LLE was found to be effective to extract ML without hydrophilic salts and proteins from the sample with limited volume. Also, the use of zafirlukast, instead of expensive ML-d6, as the internal standard makes the present method economical. The developed method was successfully validated in terms of selectivity, matrix effects (-14.8--6.9%), linearity (r30.998 within 0.5-500 ng/mL), sensitivity (the limit of detection and the lower limit of quantitation, ≤0.5 ng/mL), accuracy (88.4-100.6%), precision (3.0-13.3%), and recovery (80.8-86.3%) by following the FDA guidelines. Finally, the applicability of the validated method to pharmacokinetics (PK) studies was confirmed by the successful determination of PK parameters through it following oral administration of Singulair granule in rats. Therefore, the present method can contribute to the development of new ML formulations through its performance to determine ML in rat plasma efficiently and sensitively.


Abstract Onychostoma macrolepis, which belongs to the genus Onychostoma (Cypriniformes, Cyprinidae), is a benthopelagic fish that inhabits the flowing freshwaters in China. The complete mitochondrial genome sequence of O. macrolepis is 16,595 bp in length and comprises 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNA genes, 2 rRNA genes and 1 control region. The base composition of the genome is 31.29% A, 24.53% T, 27.97 % C, and 16.21% G, showing considerable bias toward an A + T preference as 55.82%. The results can provide a basic database for analyzing the phylogenetic relationship and conservation genetics in the genus Onychostoma.


L-type amino acid transporter 1 (LAT1) is upregulated in various malignant tumors in humans. LAT1 expression correlates with the grade of cancer and prognosis. LAT1 is responsible for the supply of many essential amino acids to cancer cells. Inhibition of LAT1 reduces the amino acids that enter the cell and inhibits cancer cell growth. Therefore, novel anticancer drugs targeting LAT1 have attracted much attention in recent years. In this study, to explore the applicability of using LAT1 expression in intracranial tumors as a prognostic factor and therapeutic target, we investigated the expression of LAT1 in surgically resected primary and secondary intracranial tumor tissues from dogs and cats. Immunohistochemical analysis of LAT1 was performed on intracranial tumor tissue from 14 dogs and 3 cats. Primary intracranial tumors were seen in 10 dogs and included meningiomas, histiocytic sarcomas, pituitary tumors, and gliomas, and 9 out of 10 cases were positive for LAT1. Primary intracranial tumors were seen in 2 cats and included meningioma and lymphoma; both cases were positive for LAT1. Secondary intracranial tumors were positive for LAT1 in 3 out of 4 cases in dogs and 1 out of 1 in cats. Since the majority of intracranial tumors in dogs and cats were positive for LAT1, immunostaining for LAT1 is expected to be a prognostic indicator and therapeutic target in the future.


Environmental protection policy is a multi-faceted issue which interests researchers in different branches of knowledge. The implementation of solutions of the environmental protection may take different forms among which are legal instruments. One of those legal instruments is the environmental protection policy. The aim of this article is to analyse this policy and to evaluate its functioning in the Republic of Poland as one of the public policies. Furthermore, a crucial part of this article is to define the environmental protection policy, national environmental policy and its legal bases. What is more, the article will present the analysis of purposes, directions and areas included in the Polish National Environmental Policy - 2030. To make this analysis complete it is required to indicate symptoms of the sustainable development in the environmental protection policy. As a main tool of consideration, the dogmatic-legal method, has been used. The analysis of the main topic consists of legal acts and literature on the subject (containing Polish and foreign scientific publications).


In addressing Matteo Gaddi's prospectus on working life and labour relations in the Italian FCA (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles) Group, this paper considers a range of responses common to labour organizations in the automotive sector internationally. These include embracing it entirely, or engaging with it robustly in an attempt to change it. This has typically required the union to think outside the framework of straightforward opposition, going beyond seeing lean as a management fad or just a simple change in production requirements. The argument is made that lean, in addition to being understood as a manufacturing strategy, is also a managerial ideology developed in a period of neoliberal transformation. In consequence, quality of working life issues attendant on the supposed misapplication of lean are here understood as being critical to capital's labour control strategies. Moreover, since lean is also part and parcel of wider societal change, it is argued that the union could consider developing, via network research, a bench marking agenda of workplace health & safety and worker wellbeing. This can be ameans by which "health and sickness dumping" are refracted back to the firm rather than supported through social wage.


We have previously shown that in successful pregnancies increased arginase activity is a mechanism that contributes to the suppression of the maternal immune system. We identified the main type of arginase-expressing cells as a population of activated low-density granulocytes (LDGs) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and in term placentae. In the present study, we analyzed the phenotype of LDGs and compared it to the phenotype of normal density granulocytes (NDGs) in maternal peripheral blood, placental biopsies and cord blood. Our data reveal that only LDGs but no NDGs could be detected in placental biopsies. Phenotypically, NDGs and LDGs from both maternal and cord blood expressed different levels of maturation, activation and degranulation markers. NDGs from the maternal and cord blood were phenotypically similar, while maternal, cord and placental LDGs showed different expression levels of CD66b. LDGs present in cord blood expressed higher levels of arginase compared to maternal and placental LDGs. In summary, our results show that in maternal and cord blood, two phenotypically different populations of neutrophils can be identified, whereas in term placentae, only activated neutrophils are present.


As part of the overall Ichthys project there was a requirement to develop a remedial sand control application that would be suitable for installation should the sand production levels exceed the tolerance of the system. After an exhaustive review of available techniques, a remedial insert ceramic sand screen was selected as a potential option for these high rate gas wells. In order to be confident that the screen would be suitable for the application a comprehensive design and qualification plan was developed.
 Due to the nature of the application and the technology itself the qualification programme was significantly more complex than typical oilfield equipment qualification; many of which can adopt standard API/ISO testing protocols with clear cut pass/fail criteria.
 A number of specific elements were required to underpin the qualification. Firstly and perhaps most importantly was pre-qualification of the overall strategy itself. This can be thought of as the engineering work to endorse the approach, including the assessment of any inherent risks, and the development of the overarching qualification framework including understanding the dependencies between specific qualification work scopes.
 Once the strategy was endorsed and the framework developed, a significant amount of time was spent maturing the testing programme and the subsequent pass/fail criteria, often involving extensive discussion with a number of specialised companies and especially the provider of the screen.
 A thorough and extensive set of modelling and testing was conducted to endorse the final product for the application including fundamental FEA and CFD modelling through more traditional burst/collapse testing, end ring weld certification and corrosion studies to bespoke bending, impact and erosion testing.
 In addition as this is a new technology and does not conform to any existing sand screen quality plan it was necessary to conduct a joint quality management system audit and screen manufacturing assessment. This led to the construction of an agreed Quality Control Plan; and specific production quality checks to ensure critical requirement conformance of the overall process and end product. The end result was a successfully qualified product for the Ichthys high rate gas remedial application.


We conducted a study that compared basic video conferencing, emergent kinetic video-conferencing techniques, and face-to-face meetings. Remote and co-located participants worked together in groups of three. We show, in agreement with prior literature, the strong adverse impact of being remote on participation levels. We also show that local and remote participants perceived differently their own contributions and others'. Local participants exhibited significantly more overlapping talk with remote participants who used an embodied proxy, than with remote participants in basic-video conferencing (and at a rate similar to overlapping speech for co-located groups). We describe differences in how the technologies were used to follow conversation. Our findings indicate that while the kinetic embodied technology increased local participants' perceived presence of remote teammates, it did not enhance remote participants' own sense of telepresence. We discuss our findings in the context of theories of agency and presence, and discuss how these findings extend our understanding of the promise and limitations of embodied video-conferencing solutions.


The objective of this paper is to contribute to one of the most challenging issues in modern HF communications: the exploitation of the multiantenna diversity and its impact in the need of time interleaving. Comparing two of the main diversity sources in multiantenna communications (the polarization and spatially separated antennas) we expect to empirically determine which is the best option as a trade off between performance and practical implementation issues, especially focused in the case where strict space constraints apply, as in naval and air platforms. In such applications, it is almost impossible to have antennas with enough physical separation to exploit some diversity. If the dual polarization processing proves itself as a reliable source of diversity, with just some additional hardware any existing system can be easily upgraded, improving the overall BER figures and/or reducing the delays imposed by the coders/interleavers.


Facts about the country facts for the visitor getting there and away getting around Santiago Middle Chile Norte Grande and The Atacama Desert Norte Chico La Araucania and The Lake district Chiloe Aisen Magallanes and Tierra del Fuego Juan Fernandez Islands Eastern island (Rapa Nui) glossary.


A new Bacillus stearothermophilus strain, INMI 50, was isolated and identified. Cells of this strain immobilized on a ceramic carrier demonstrated a high NO uptake in a bioreactor. The bioreactor volume was 4 l; air flow, 100 l/h; initial NO concentration, 5 ppm; and temperature, 60 degrees C. Glycerol or 1,2-propanediol was used as carbon and energy source. The uptake of NO was 60-90% of the initial concentration over six months of continuous operation of the bioreactor. The developed procedure can be used for removal of nitrogen oxide from products of combustion of diesel fuel or from air in production areas.


Cysteine protease and hemagglutinin activities of Porphyromonas gingivalis have been implicated as virulence factors in periodontitis. In addition, a close structural relationship between these factors has been suggested. In order to examine the molecular basis for such a relationship, we constructed an isogenic mutant, G-102, of P. gingivalis 381 deficient in Arg-gingipain cysteine protease activity. The mutant displayed not only reduced protease activity but also significantly reduced hemagglutination activity compared with the wild-type strain. Therefore, this investigation provided genetic evidence for the recently proposed structural relationship between Arg-gingipain and the hemagglutinin activity of P. gingivalis strains.


Cement hydration within particle bed concrete 3D printing processes can be benefited by storing water in the otherwise dry aggregate bulk material. Additional water also has the advantage of acting as a source of passive cooling. However, even small amounts of liquid lead to detrimental effects on bulk properties, such as the flowability. For that reason, this study proposes implementing dry water (DW) in order to store large amounts of water in a bulk material of non-absorbent, coarse sand whilst maintaining its initial bulk properties. DW is essentially created by mixing water and hydrophobic fumed silica in a high shear process, leading to water droplets surrounded by a protective silica shell. Herein, several DW variants, distinguished by their deionised water to hydrophobic silica ratio, were mixed with non-absorbent, coarse sand particles. In addition, mixtures were produced to contain a specific overall water content of up to wH2O = 5% within the bulk material. It was shown that dry water can be used to incorporate large amounts of water into a granular bulk material and simultaneously preserve flow properties. The decisive factor is the proportion of hydrophobic silica for a given water content as the DW capsules may otherwise not endure mechanical stress during mixing. However, even minimal quantities of silica can prevent liquid capillary bridges from forming and, thus, inhibit bulk property degradation.


This paper aims at deriving the maximum power output from the photovoltaic (PV) panel by using a maximum power point tracking (MPPT). A fuzzy PI controller is designed to control the DC-DC converter. A novel method of MPPT is used wherein the maximum power point is initially bracketed using optimizing methods. The advantage here is that the complexity of search algorithm is reduced by bracketing the MPP and not checking voltage/current levels at each iteration. The fuzzy controller then tracks the MPP accurately. The working of this system is checked for various atmospheric conditions from the simulation results.


Introduction:The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect protein containing adiponectin from the adipocytes on the regeneration of pancreatic β-cells in rates previously treated with (STZ). Therefore, adipocytes from different sources were extracted for protein (adipokines) and the effect was evaluated on pancreatic β-cell regeneration. Methods: The protein extracts from trimmed off abdominal adipose tissues of meat sources, namely chicken, beef and lamb, were used in the present study. The fats were removed, and protein were isolated, and hydrolysate were prepared and injected to rats. The rats were induced hyperglycemia with streptozotocin (STZ) were divided into normal rats (Group-A), insulin treated rats (Group-B), protein containing beef adiponectin (PCBA) (Group-C), protein containing lamb adiponectin (PCLA) (Group-D), protein containing chicken adiponectin (PCCA) (Group-E) and no treatment hyperglycemic rats (Group-F). The rats were injected 30mg of the aforementioned proteins and pancreatic morphology was assessed two weeks post-treatment. Results: The pancreas of the Group-A showed normal islets of Langerhans with abundant beta cells. In the no treatment rats (Group-F), islets were lower in cellular density compared to the control and treatment groups. The pancreas of Group-C, D and E rats showed islets and acinar cells that were comparable to the control. The pancreas of insulin-treated Group-B was similar in architecture to the control group. Conclusions:The present study indicates that protein extracts containing adipokines from Adipocytes Containing Adiponectin Causes β-cell Regeneration in Rats


In order to investigate the influence of aircraft shielding on the galactic component of cosmic rays, an aircraft mathematical model has been developed by the combinatorial geometry package of the Monte-Carlo transport code FLUKA. The isotropic irradiation of the aircraft in the cosmic ray environment has been simulated. Effective dose and ambient dose equivalent rates have been determined inside the aircraft at several locations along the fuselage, at a typical civil aviation altitude (10 580 m), for vertical cut-off rigidity of 0.4 GV (poles) and 17.6 GV (equator) and deceleration potential of 465 MV. The values of both quantities were generally lower than those in the free atmosphere. They depend, in an intricate manner, on the location within the aircraft, quantity of fuel, number of passengers, etc. The position onboard of crew members should be taken into account when assessing individual doses. Likewise due consideration must be taken when positioning detectors which are used to measure H*(10). Care would be needed to avoid ambiguity when comparing the results of calculation with the experimental data.


The properties of polarization-dependent phase-conjugate (PC) reflectivities by degenerate four-wave mixing in saturable-dye-doped films are investigated on the basis of a four-level model including an excited-state absorption. Numerical calculations are carried out by taking account of the effect of molecular orientation as well as of pump propagation under the assumption that optically anisotropic dye molecules are rigidly fixed in a solid matrix without any positional and orientational order, in which a PC wave can be generated even in the case of a probe wave perpendicularly polarized to pump waves. Two cases of the polarization state are employed, where the polarization direction of the probe wave is either parallel or perpendicular to that of the parallel linearly polarized pump waves. Numerically calculating the PC reflectivities as a function of the pump intensity, we show how the polarization properties of the PC-reflectivity curves depend on saturation parameters, and clarify the influences of the molecular orientational and the pump propagation effect. The numerical results are compared with the experimental results obtained by using eosin-Y-doped polyvinyl alcohol films as saturable absorbers.


In this thesis we develop a gain-scheduled control law for the quadcopter unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). Techniques from linear control theory are introduced and used to construct adaptive proportional and proportional-integral control laws for use with both state and observer-based output feedback. The controller monitors the yaw angle of the quadcopter and updates a gain matrix as the system evolves through operating points. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the gain-scheduled controller, trajectories involving significant variation in the yaw angle are tracked by the quadcopter, including a helix and Lissajous curve. We consider physical implementation of the controller, and offer suggestions for improvement and future work.


Large N matrices underpin the best understood models of emergent spacetime. We suggest that large N matrices can themselves be emergent from simple quantum mechanical spin models with finite dimensional Hilbert spaces. We exhibit the emergence of large N matrices in a nonlocal statistical physics model of order N2 Ising spins. The spin partition function is shown to admit a large N saddle described by a matrix integral, which we solve. The matrix saddle is dominant at high temperatures, metastable at intermediate temperatures and ceases to exist below a critical order one temperature. The matrix saddle is disordered in a sense we make precise and competes with ordered low energy states. We verify our analytic results by Monte Carlo simulation of the spin system.


The Quality Control Assessment (QCA) was initiated to evaluate the quality of the influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) testing in the national reference centres belonging to the European Influenza Surveillance Scheme (EISS) network. Samples were coded and sent in two panels of 12 samples within a two week interval to 16 laboratories during the 2000-01 winter season. The antibodies titration by HI test was reported by 60% of the laboratories (n=16), and the results were correct for 56% of them. One false detection of influenza B antibodies was reported by one laboratory, and for the others the sensitivity varied widely. The sensitivity of the tests for the detection of influenza virus varied for A(H3N2) from 10 to 100,000 TCID50/ml. The influenza A subtyping was performed by 87% of the laboratories, and 31% gave correct results. The characterisation of the variants was undertaken by six laboratories and half of them fully achieved it. Fifty six percent of the laboratories used RT-PCR for the diagnosis; the results were specific and the sensitivity equivalent to the cell culture.


Quasi-static object manipulation using a wheeled mobile robot is studied. For a mobile robot, as a typical set-up for transportation of objects, dynamic grasp problem is defined. It is assumed that the robot moves along a straight path and carries an object on its upper surface and the object should not move relative to the robot (dynamic grasp problem). It is also assumed that the robot has limited wheel motors torque. It is shown that to preserve dynamic grasp between the object and the robot, acceleration of the robot has to remain in a specified range. A third order polynomial for position equation of the mobile robot is selected and dynamic grasp and torque conditions are sketched as a constraint on acceleration of the robot. An optimization problem is proposed to find the optimal motion of the robot. A genetic algorithm is proposed to solve the optimization problem. The solutions are validated by simulations in MSC-ADAMS and MATLAB in general case of the optimization problem and also in minimum time, maximum distance and minimum energy problems as special cases of the general problem.


We investigated scintillation and luminescence properties of GdI3:1% Ce3+. It shows a light yield of 47 000 photons/MeV recorded with a Hamamatsu R1791 photomultiplier tube (PMT). Using an Advanced Photonix 630-70-73-510 avalanche photodiode (APD), the light output of this sample is 44 000 electron-hole pairs/MeV. The best energy resolution at 662 keV of 4.7% was recorded at 10degC with the APD with a shaping time of 0.5 mus. At room temperature (RT), the -scintillation decay curve of GdI3:1% Ce3+ shows a fast component of 45 ns, which is the same as the intrinsic Ce decay time, and that contributes 70% to the total light yield. GdI3:1% Ce3+ shows no afterglow at RT. Temperature dependence ranging from 80 to 600 K of X-ray excited emission spectra, pulse height spectra, scintillation decay curves and optically excited decay curves of Ce3+ emission are also presented.


During the 2012/2013 agricultural year, in the city of Campo Novo do Parecis, MT, the study aimed to analyze the spatial variability of soybean and of the fertility attributes of Typic Tropudox under no-tillage. The sampling grid for data collect was installed in an area of 5.0 ha. The productivity of soybeans, plant population, organic matter, P, Ca+2, Mg+2, K+, Al+3, H+ + Al+3, pH (CaCl2), sum bases, cation exchange capacity and base saturation were evaluated. A classic descriptive analysis was carried out with the help of the SAS statistical software, correlation and regression analysis with Excel and semivariograms were then modeled for all attributes, giving the respective cross-validations and kriging charts with the GS+ 7.0 software. Most surveyed attributes presented spatial dependence, and modeled their semivariograms by predominantly Gaussian type. The geostatistical ranges used for the attributes analyzed should not be less than 43.8 m, being the distance at which the attribute values are related to each other. The study of the variability of soil attributes and the adoption of techniques that help in the management of soil, such as geostatistics, is essential to proper plant development.


As technology advances and digital devices become prevalent, seamless human-machine communication is increasingly gaining significance. The growing adoption of mobile, wearable, and other Internet of Things (IoT) devices has changed how we interact with these smart devices, making accurate spoken words recognition a crucial component for effective interaction. However, building robust spoken words detection system that can handle novel keywords remains challenging, especially for low-resource languages with limited training data. Here, we propose PLiX, a multilingual and plug-and-play keyword spotting system that leverages few-shot learning to harness massive real-world data and enable the recognition of unseen spoken words at test-time. Our few-shot deep models are learned with millions of one-second audio clips across 20 languages, achieving state-of-the-art performance while being highly efficient. Extensive evaluations show that PLiX can generalize to novel spoken words given as few as just one support example and performs well on unseen languages out of the box. We release models and inference code to serve as a foundation for future research and voice-enabled user interface development for emerging devices.


Gastric cancer is the third major cause of cancer-related mortality in Japan. The aim of this study was to identify a factor implicated in the biology of gastric cancer by comprehensive protein profiling. Protein profiling was carried out by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, using formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded specimens of 17 gastric cancer cases. Pathway analysis and orthogonal partial least square-discriminant analysis suggested the significant expression of ribonucleoproteins, heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteins, interleukin binding factor 2 (ILF2), KU70 and KU80, which are involved in DNA damage response (DDR). Thus, the expression and phosphorylation levels of KU70, ILF2, CHK1 and CHK2 were examined by immunohistochemistry in 42 cases of gastric cancer. The expressions of ILF2 and CHK1 were unaffected in all cases. The expression and phosphorylation of CHK2 were absent in 2 cases. Despite the expression of proteins, the phosphorylation of KU70 and CHK2 appeared to be impaired in 1 and 4 cases, respectively. In 7 out of 42 cases (17%), DDR appeared to be impaired. Recurrence was noted in 2 out of these 7 cases (29%), whereas the recurrence was noted in 2 out of the remaining 35 cases (6%). The expression levels of KU70, ILF2, CHK1, CHK2 and TP53 were further examined in 4 gastric cancer cell lines. The expression and phosphorylation levels following exposure to ultraviolet radiation were abnormal in the 3 cell lines. The normal consecutive phosphorylation of CHK1 and CHK2, the upregulation of TP53 and an increase in apoptotic cell death following exposure to ultraviolet radiation was detected only in one cell line, suggesting that the preserved functions of DDR and TP53 are necessary for the determination of cell fate. It is thus suggested that DDR plays an important role in the pathobiology of gastric cancers.


In Reply. —We thank Drs Subbiah and Tsang for their thoughtful letters about our article. Subbiah indicates a need for evaluating the biologic effects of the various estrogen components in CEEs and we would welcome and encourage such studies. Regarding the impact that CEE had on the endometrium, other estrogenic compounds also have been shown to promote the development of endometrial hyperplasia. These include piperazine estrone sulfate, estradiol valerate, estriol hemisuccinate, and transdermal estradiol. 1-3 Even the so-called antiestrogen, tamoxifen, appears to promote the development of endometrial hyperplasia. 4 Thus, the promotion of endometrial overgrowth is likely a generic response to the class of steroids called estrogens and not to any one single estrogen. Tsang questions if it is possible to predict which women with endometrial hyperplasia will revert to normal with progestin therapy and suggests the measurement of ER/PRs may predict the response of hyperplasia to progestin therapy. We


them into perspective. Chapters on radio nuclide, ultrasound and computerized tomography scanning form the bulk of this Bulletin and on the whole are well written and up-to-date. Inevitably there will be disagreement on points of detail. For example, few experienced ultrasonographers would have the difficulty in distinguishing a dilated portal vein from a dilated common bile duct described in the chapter on abdominal ultrasound diagnosis. Furthermore, the illustrations in this chapter have reproduced badly in contrast to those in the rest of the book. In an attempt to be comprehensive, many articles contain technical facts that most doctors would have difficulty in comprehending. This information would probably be of interest only to those actively engaged in scanning or to students studying for their higher qualifications. As a result, although many articles are highly stimulating others would be of little interest to the average doctor. I would stongly recommend this Bulletin to all X-ray, cardiology and nuclear medicine departmental libraries where it would be an invaluable source for reference. I doubt if it will find its way to many private bookshelves.


This article investigates the effect of S&P 500 Index correlation on the performance of hedge funds. Specifically, the authors separate the alpha and beta components of the four major hedge fund trading strategies in the Hedge Fund Research (HFR) database across three mutually exclusive equity–market correlation regimes. Using panel data regression, they isolate correlation regimes using dichotomous variables that add or detract from the alphas. They find that equity–oriented hedge fund strategies generate over twice the alpha during low–correlation regimes relative to normalcorrelation regimes. Their analysis provides a practical approach for optimizing allocations to hedge fund strategies that are expected to benefit from "stock–picking"skills during low equity-correlation environments. Furthermore, the proposed framework can be useful in identifying individual managers likely to benefit from this effect.


Beer quality can be defined in many ways. Combining consumer liking data and trained panel sensory descriptive data, this presentation will present a case study whereby the importance of hops on beer quality is demonstrated. Hop-related descriptive attributes such as "grapefruit" and "piney" aromas as well as bitterness intensity were positively correlated with consumer liking. Furthermore, "DMS" and "sulfide" aroma were significantly, inversely correlated with liking. Having demonstrated the importance of hops on consumer liking, and in turn on beer quality, this presentation turns to where and how hops influence beer flavor quality with an emphasis on bitterness. Naturally, the amount and timing of hops additions during brewing and fermenting influence the intensities of the aromatic and taste contributors from hops which in turn controls the trueness-to-type and the balance/complexity aspects of beer quality. Iso-alpha-acid concentration and, to a lesser degree, analogous types are responsible for the bitterness intensity in beer. Beyond intensity, the nature of the bitterness (for example, fine and fleeting versus coarse and lingering) may also significantly impact beer quality. This is apparent when comparing iso-alpha-acids with rho-iso-alpha-acids or tetrahydroiso-alpha-acids, and may also be important when comparing these compounds against alpha and beta acid degradation products. In addition to alpha-acid-derived bitterness, hop polyphenols contribute their own bitterness, albeit at much lower intensities, plus they contribute to the physical and flavor stability/instability of beer.


Professional area is an important area of activity of a modern person. Realization of the personality in the profession and active labor activity represent one of the leading values in the system of value-semantic orientations of the individual. The article considers some ethnopsychological features of an individual prone to workaholism. Workaholism is viewed as a manifestation of addictive behavior, a kind of nonchemical form of dependent behavior. To understand obsessive and dependent behavior, the author analyzes various medical and psychological approaches and concepts. The study reveals some personal characteristics of an individual prone to workaholism in a sample of Slavs and Crimean Tatars. The results of the study demonstrate the fact that regardless of gender and ethnicity, the average degree of respondents' inclination to workaholism is diagnosed, however, in the representatives of the Slavic ethnic group; the tendency to workaholism is higher than that in representatives of the Crimean Tatar ethnos. Women expressed angst, neurotic depression and hysterical type of response; men demonstrated asthenic manifestations with obsessive-phobic symptoms. The representatives of the Slavic ethnic group are characterized by the severity of anxiety symptoms and neurotic depression. In both ethnogroups, manifestations of autonomic disorders are diagnosed. Thus, representatives of the Slavic ethnos inclined to workaholism are diagnosed with anxiety symptoms with asthenic manifestations and obsessive-phobic reactions accompanied by autonomic disorders, which causes a hysterical type of response to various life situations. Consequently, for this category of persons who show pathological dependence on work activity, sleep and appetite disorders are typical, psychoemotional exhaustion, increased anxiety and excessive fixation on thoughts, which leads to intrapersonal conflict and strong psychoemotional reactions to everyday life situations. Representatives of the Crimean Tatar ethnic group prone to workaholism can be traced back to the alarming symptoms. Consequently, for them, obsession with labor activity is a protective mechanism for avoiding really existing difficulties.


This paper examines the healthcare provisions for migrants in Qatar. Migration and health are intricately entwined in the GCC states, with ramifications for both migrants and their host countries in the Gulf. The GCC states are home to nearly 30 million non-national residents or migrants, constituting the largest concentration of temporary migrants in the world. The provision of healthcare services to such a large migrant population presents a tremendous challenge for most Gulf states. It is worth pointing out that migration to the GCC states is inherently transient in nature, which further compounds the healthcare challenge. This paper explores how the GCC states respond to the rising demand for migrant healthcare by focusing on healthcare infrastructure and healthcare provisions for migrants in Qatar. The study reveals that Qatar has invested heavily in the expansion of healthcare infrastructure in tandem with its growing migrant population. Qatar offers healthcare services to the increasing migrant population through the Hamad health card, which allows its holders to access public healthcare services. This study suggests that there is a need for more expansion of public healthcare facilities to meet the expanding healthcare needs in coming years.


This poster addresses how library andinformation science (LIS) graduates who work in non-library roles label themselves. The LIS community as the profession is undergoing a time of transition. Given the changing nature of the work that is being performed by LIS graduates both inside and outside of libraries, the timing is appropriate to explore how practitioners choose to label themselves as professionals. LIS graduates working in non-library roles where selected as the target population of this study because their work provides them with myriad possibilities for self-labelling. Participants exhibited four response patterns which are described and discussed.


A better understanding of the hormonal regulation of spermatogenesis may provide new avenues for management of human infertility, and development of safe and reversible contraceptives. Although much basic work must be conducted in lower mammals, primarily rodents, concepts must, at some stage, be tested for their relevance to humans. In this review, we will draw together existing data in humans and monkeys in formulating an overview of the hormonal regulation of spermatogenesis, focusing particularly on the pursuit of the male hormonal contraceptive. Reference to data from lower mammals will be made when these highlight interesting and relevant differences or similarities with primates. The dual functions of the adult testis; namely, the production of spermatozoa (fertility) and the secretion of testosterone (virility), are both dependent on stimulation by the pituitary gonadotropins, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH), which are secreted in response to hypothalamic gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). Testosterone is essential for promoting spermatogenesis and is secreted by the adult Leydig cell under LH stimulation, and acts via androgen receptors (ARs) on Sertoli cells, Leydig cells, and peritubular cells. That testosterone exerts its effects on somatic cells rather than germ cells was highlighted by recent germ cell transplantation studies (Johnston et al, 2001). FSH acts via


This research aims to analyze the possible effects of auditee satisfaction on compliance audit and corporate image in receiving audit services in Malaysia. Raw data were collected via structured questionnaires through email communication. The collected data were analyzed first using descriptive statistics, then followed by correlation analysis to establish the relationship effects of auditee satisfaction as an independent variable on compliance audit and corporate image, both as dependent variables. Lastly, a regression analysis was borne on the model to test the hypotheses. The study found that auditee satisfaction has a significant relationship with compliance and corporate image. This deemed essential to manage SME firms and audit firms alongside academics who may want to further pursue the subject matter. Many SMEs have embraced audits, and according to previous studies, expenditures on audits have substantially increased. Therefore, it is necessary to supervise the spending amount of audit fees to ensure value for money. The research findings are also imperative to scholars, academics, scientists, and researchers by adding to the body of current knowledge on internal audit and risk management. Nonetheless, its sample size limits the study. Therefore, the results do not represent the whole business organization because it is only limited to retails and wholesale of SMES firm in Malaysia.


Until the advent of social media, it has not been natural to speak openly about sexual violence in Sápmi. The tendency toward silence on the part of victim/survivors can be attributed to a number of factors, including fear of collective racialized judgement, fear of not being believed, and a tendency on the part of minorities to "protect their own." However, in the last five years we have witnessed a wave of Sámi survivors—especially young women and Queer youth—sharing their personal, storied experiences of lateral violence on social media, and even in Sámi and mainstream media. Many survivors' stories reflect a "calling out" of Sámi society to break with taboos, as well as a "calling out" of Norwegianization and state systemic indifference to the problem of sexual violence in Sámi communities. Pre-dating the watershed moment of the Divtasvuotna/Tysfjord case and the #metoo and #timesup movements in the USA, young Sámi women began telling their stories of survival of sexual assault and harassment on various social and traditional media platforms, and Sámi youth organizations addressed issues of sexual violence and harassment in their own organizational structures and in societal terms.
To the best of my knowledge, there has been limited research on sexual violence in Sápmi, with the exception of large-scale surveys from the health sciences that reveal that Sámi women experience domestic and sexual violence at higher rates than the majority Nordic population; further, it is well-known in Sámi society that the majority of offenders are themselves from within the Sámi community.
My presentation will be a "discussion of a new research idea" on theorizing the gendered, racial, and colonial nature of sexual violence against Sámi women in a historical and systemic trajectory.


An epidural catheter was used to provide perioperative analgesia as part of a multimodal balanced anaesthesia and analgesia in a mare undergoing a bilateral mastectomy. Despite development of severe hypoxaemia during anaesthesia, recovery from anaesthesia was uneventful. Oral administration of a NSAID combined with administration of xylazine and morphine by an epidural catheter resulted in adequate postoperative pain relief, based on assessment of physiological parameters and behaviour. Neither complications nor side effects were observed during hospitalisation.


We have studied the nature of unconventional superconductivity in the rare-earth nitride (REN) samarium nitride (SmN) for the purposes of providing a deeper understanding of the mechanisms that lead to such a phenomenon in an already extremely interesting material. An approximate low energy model has been introduced for SmN based on previous bandstructure calculation and recent experimental results. This consists of the non-dispersive 4f band associated with the samarium ion crossing through the dispersive 5d band associated with the nitrogen ion. Due to large spin polarisation in the bandstructure we need only consider the majority-spin 5d and 4f bands which lead to an essentially spinless two band system. Starting from this two band system, we apply the k dot p method to it in order to create an effective model for the system. This effective model for the material acts as the platform from which we study the possible triplet superconducting pairing. Basing our pairing on the electron-phonon interaction we have postulated the existence of triplet pairing in the 5d band, from which we have successfully characterised the pair potential in this system through the self-consistency equation. The pair potential Delta_d could be solved analytically in a special case where the Fermi level was equal to the 4f band. In this case we find that above a threshold effective coupling strength the superconducting state is established and analytically known. In contrast to this result for the more general case where the Fermi level is different to the 4f band we numerically recover a solution that was exponential in the effective coupling strength which is similar to the pairing as we expect from the single band case. Analytic solutions in this case were not able to be found, however, we know that from our numerical investigations there will exist a solution for any effective coupling strength, contrasting with the special case where the pairing amplitude can disappear below a certain threshold. In conjunction to these results we also examined the situation where the 5d and 4f bands have hybridised together in order to search for unique pairing that may be resistant to disorder. By keeping the triplet pairing only in the 5d band, this translates to hybrid pairing between electrons in the two hybridised bands. Results from the hybridised bands system show a new singlet-like pairing Delta_S which is even in k and singlet in the hybridised band indices. Preliminary numerical results suggest that this pairing indeed exists and occurs only near the avoided crossing of the hybridised bands. The existence of such a pairing, originating from triplet pairing, has exciting implications for the robustness of the superconductivity in the presence of disorder and/or impurities.


High-voltage direct-current (HVDC) transmission-line protection is becoming increasingly desirable with the expanding worldwide popularity of HVDC technologies in recent years. This paper proposes a transmission-line backup protection scheme based on the integral of reactive power for HVDC systems. The directional characteristics of reactive power flow are theoretically analyzed for internal and external faults, and these characteristics are used to construct a directional protection scheme. The Hilbert transform is adopted to calculate the reactive power, which ensures a continuous output of calculation results and improves the reliability of the protection. A bipolar 12-pulse HVDC test system based on the CIGRE benchmark is modeled using PSCAD/EMTDC, and extensive simulations of various fault situations are conducted to test the effectiveness of the proposed scheme. The simulation results show that the proposed protection scheme correctly identifies internal and external faults and performs well with different fault distances and fault resistances. Furthermore, the proposed protection is insensitive to the sampling frequency, making it practical for future applications.


Genome sequences contain hundreds of millions of DNA base pairs. Finding the degree of similarity between two genomes requires executing a compute-intensive dynamic programming algorithm, such as Smith-Waterman. Traditional von Neumann architectures have limited parallelism and cannot provide an efficient solution for large-scale genomic data. Approximate heuristic methods (e.g. BLAST) are commonly used. However, they are suboptimal and still compute-intensive. In this work, we present BioSEAL, a biological sequence alignment accelerator. BioSEAL is a massively parallel non-von Neumann processing-in-memory architecture for large-scale DNA and protein sequence alignment. BioSEAL is based on resistive content addressable memory, capable of energy-efficient and highperformance associative processing. We present an associative processing algorithm for entire database sequence alignment on BioSEAL and compare its performance and power consumption with state-of-art solutions. We show that BioSEAL can achieve up to 57× speedup and 156× better energy efficiency, compared with existing solutions for genome sequence alignment and protein sequence database search.


Both were unstable, it was chance whether he drove his car into a wall or she took a lethal combination of alcohol and barbiturate; as it happened, she shot him and was hanged for murder. Had she used the last cartridge on herself the inquest would have received banner headlines and would have been forgotten in a few days. The machinery of the trial of an attractive woman for shooting her lover turned the case of Ruth Ellis into a cause celebre with nationwide interest focused on the subject of the death penalty. The account by Jonathan Goodman and Peter Pringle is excellent. Mrs Ellis, of humble origin, graduated through modelling to the management of a drinking club. Her lover, Blakely, came from a higher social level and dabbled in motor racing, although drinking was another keen interest. The picture of a certain set of people in pubs, drinking clubs and love nests in West End flats is vividly drawn. A photograph suggests that Mrs Ellis was good fun, rackety and possibly prone to rows with waiters. At the time of the affair she was separated from a drunken husband who divorced her six weeks before the shooting. Relations with Blakely were tempestuous, quarrels were frequent, he was seen to strike her and she often had multiple bruises. Both were simultaneously carrying on with other paramours. After Blakely made it clear that he wanted no more of her she waylaid him outside a public house. At the trial Ruth Ellis 'came up from the cells like a film-star. She wore a black suit with astrakhan trimmings and her hair was impeccably blonde'. She was cool and showed no sign of remorse. While it was unlikely that the defence of provocation would have succeeded she showed no interest, nor was she concerned with appeal or reprieve. Most would agree that this was an instance of abnormal jealousy, murder and suicide. The morbid interest engendered by publicity did incalculable harm and it is ironic that death was what Mrs Ellis wanted. An appendix to the book reproduces many emotional letters, some from eminent people, on the subject of the death penalty. Undoubtedly the Ellis case gave impetus to the enactment of the Homicide Act 1957, two years later. Whether this is read as a psychological study, a story about London in 1955 or as an indictment of the death penalty it is an absorbing work. Not a word is wasted and the selection of verbatim quotes from the trial could not be bettered. Messrs Goodman and Pringle are to be congratulated. GAVIN THURSTON


It is suggested in this paper that the Court of Justice has made a modest, although by no means a trivial, move towards becoming the Constitutional Court of Europe, particularly in the N.S. case, where it rejected the Union's guiding rule of automatic reliance on the principle of mutual confidence. The paper proposes that this represents a test, labelledthe "horizontal Solange" test and which is composed of two tiers. The first, substantive, tier forms the Solange component. Cooperation between Member States will be maintained as long as all the Member States systematically adhere to core European fundamental rights. If the evidence shows that a systemic violation of core European fundamental rights took place in a Member State, other Member States should suspend their cooperation. The second, institutional, tier forms the "horizontal" component. The national courts are entrusted with the task of reviewing whether the other Member States abide by the European standard of protection of fundamental rights.The exact substantive contours of the test are examined alongside the test's possible implications for related fields of law of the European legal order. The test also allows the ECJ to interweave the different European fundamental rights systems into a fully integrated judicial dialogical network, and to steer the exact direction in which European legislation should advance.


To specifically detect and trace transplanted islet β-cells by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), we conjugated manganese magnetism-engineered iron oxide nanoparticles (MnMEIO NPs) with exendin-4 (Ex4) which specifically binds glucagon-like peptide-1 receptors on the surface of β-cells. The size distribution of MnMEIO and MnMEIO-Ex4 NPs were 67.8 ± 1.3 and 70.2 ± 2.3 nm and zeta potential 33.3 ± 0.5 and 0.6 ± 0.1 mV, respectively. MnMEIO and MnMEIO-Ex4 NPs with iron content ≤ 40 μg/mL did not affect MIN6 β-cell viability and insulin secretion. Positive iron staining was found in MIN6 β-cells loaded with MnMEIO-Ex4 NPs but not in those with MnMEIO NPs. A transmission electron microscope confirmed MnMEIO-Ex4 NPs were distributed in the cytoplasm of MIN6. In vitro MR images revealed a loss of signal intensity in MIN6 β-cells labeled with MnMEIO-Ex4 NPs but not with MnMEIO NPs. After transplantation of islets labeled with MnMEIO-Ex4, the graft under kidney capsule could be visualized on MRI as persistent hypointense areas up to 17 weeks. Moreover, histology of the islet graft showed positive staining for insulin, glucagon and iron. Our results indicate MnMEIO-Ex4 NPs are safe and effective for the detection and long-term monitoring of transplanted β-cells by MRI.


We present the realization and performance of a multiprobe microcontactor made of an array of metallic microcantilevers inserted in an atomic force microscope ~AFM!. This instrument permits simultaneous AFM imaging and electrical characterization of nanoscale devices. It is therefore well adapted for future generations of molecular devices. The probes are 2mm-wide metallic cantilevers that are brought in contact with 3 mm33 mm metallic pads of a nanocircuit using a nanopositioning table. The performance of the instrument, tested on mesoscopic metallic wires and carbon nanotubes, shows that the reproducibility of the electrical contact between the probes and the circuit is better than 99.2%. ©2000 American Institute of Physics. @S0034-6748 ~00!00305-1#


This study investigated the effect of e-abstract information search engines on the utilization of information resources for promotion of Access and acquisition of educational experiences in academic libraries. Population of study was 1708 library registered students drawn from the Federal Universities of Calabar and Uyo. Of this, 1,200 students constituted the sample representing 80% of the population of study. A structured research questionnaire instrument was developed and administered to draw responses from the sample of study. The combined result showed significant positive responses in the use of e-abstract search engines in academic libraries in the promotion of access and acquisition of educational experiences in the two universities. Keywords: E-Abstract, Search Engines, Academic Libraries, Access, Acquisition


Rural land-use planning should handle land-use interests, such as nature-based tourism, biodiversity preservation and industrial resource extraction, on an appropriate level of scale. Management for multifunctionality represents an option in factually multifunctional landscapes. The Swedish policy of national interests, as applied in the context of the three northernmost municipalities' statutory comprehensive plan-making, provides an attempt in this direction. Based on mapping and practitioner interviews, the study reveals that the vague 'practical' implications of the omnipresent land-use designations under the policy complicate the task of local-level spatial planning. Integrated consideration of multiple uses (or use options), implicated by policy principles, was found to fall back into case-by-case assessments. Land-use designation can be worked into a tool for the governance of multifunctional landscapes when care is taken to manage the aspects outlined in the study, among others interagency orchestration and explicit regulation of co-existence.


The genus Amaranthus comprises about 70 species, of which 40 are native to the American continent  and the rest of Australia, Africa, Asia and Europe. A. caudatus L., A. hypochondriacus L. and A. cruentus L. are the species that in recent years have created a strong interest as agricultural crops in many regions of the  world due to the high nutritional value of their seeds and leaves. Amaranth, considered one of the most  nutritious pseudocereals, mainly used for human consumption in several ways; highlighting among them the production of solid sweets with their seeds or drinks based on flour, as vegetables, as fodder for  livestock and for obtaining oils and cosmetic products. In spite of being considered by FAO as the crop with  the greatest potential for technical development for the regions and communities of America due to the  nutritional characteristics of the whole plant as well as the attribute of its excellent capacity to resist soils  and dry climates, It presents a very slow production curve, mainly at low yields, hence, the objective of this review is to perform an analysis of the multiple forms, in addition to consumption, in which amaranth can  be used, and with this, in some way, motivate farmers to continue cultivating it.