The French, American, and British (FAB) classification system for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is extensively used and is incorporated into the AML, not otherwise specified (NOS) category in the 2016 WHO edition of myeloid neoplasm classification. While recent data proposes that FAB classification does not provide additional prognostic information for patients for whom NPM1 status is available, it is unknown whether FAB still retains a current prognostic role in predicting outcome of AML patients undergoing allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Using the European Society of Blood and Bone Marrow Transplantation registry we analyzed outcome of 1690 patients transplanted in CR1 to determine if FAB classification provides additional prognostic value. Multivariate analysis revealed that M6/M7 patients had decreased leukemia free survival (hazard ratio (HR) of 1.41, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.01–1.99; P = .046) in addition to increased nonrelapse mortality (NRM) rates (HR, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.06–3.01; P = .028) compared with other FAB types. In the NPM1wt AML, NOS cohort, FAB M6/M7 was also associated with increased NRM (HR, 2.17; 95% CI, 1.14–4.16; P = .019). Finally, in FLT3‐ITD+ patients, multivariate analyses revealed that specific FAB types were tightly associated with adverse outcome. In conclusion, FAB classification may predict outcome following transplantation in AML, NOS patients.


Groundwater is an important factor in establishing new urban communities, especially in coastal arid and semi-arid regions. Egypt is one of the world's driest countries, with hyper-arid territory accounting for 86% of the total area and arid and semi-arid terrain accounting for the rest. The present work aims to demonstrate the powerful integration of geophysical techniques to assess groundwater potentiality and suitability in Gara Oasis (GO), which describes a good example of Egypt's strategic southern extension of its arid north-western coast. Geophysical methods, including electrical resistivity and aeromagnetics, were used to evaluate groundwater resources. The study region reduced to pole total magnetic intensity map is subjected to digital filters that include derivatives, analytic signal, and tilt angle. The possible structures controlling the shallow and deep aquifers are delineated and integrated with geoelectric results. Moreover, two magnetic tomography sections are constructed to show the subsurface distribution of magnetic susceptibilities and formation boundaries. Ten vertical electric soundings (VESs) are measured and used in this study to construct four geoelectrical cross-sections. According to the results, Gara's commonly calculated subsurface resistivity model comprises six major resistivity layers. The 5th layer, in particular, is composed of Fractured dolomitic Limestone and represents a possible promising shallow aquifer. Moreover, as evidenced by various magnetic data filters, the shallow (Miocene carbonate) and deep (Nubian sandstone) aquifers are structurally controlled and regulated by a system of faults or contacts. These contacts trends NW–SE, E–W, and NE–SW as common trends emerged from the total derivative and tilt maps. Results suggest that the central part (N–S zone) together with the western side of Gara, have the most notable aquifer possibility demanded future improvement strategies.


Abstract This paper addresses two crucial gaps in the scholarship on the design and execution Simulation-Based Education (SBE) – the importance of scaffolding in constructing successful simulations for entry-level students and the associated value of social media tools. We examine these issues within three successive iterations of a role-play simulation employed in an introductory undergraduate course. We employ a mixed-methods approach that draws on self-reported learning outcomes from a total sample of 291 students across three years. We argue that running a successful simulated activity hinges upon careful design and scaffolding, and that incorporating social media tools can help to make the learning experience more immersive and more accessible for students.


Background and Objectives Coronary angiography (CAG) is the gold standard for diagnosing coronary artery disease. However, exposure to ionizing radiation delivered during CAG has various negative biological effects on humans. In this study, there was an evaluation of whether fluorography resulted in decreased radiation exposure, as compared with cineangiography. Subjects and Methods Fifty-five patients were prospectively enrolled and divided into two CAG groups, in accordance with the operator's professional discretion: a conventional cineangiography group versus a fluorography group. Fluorography refers to the photography of fluoroscopic images that are retrospectively stored, e.g., using the "Store fluoro" function of the Siemens cardiac angiography system. The primary outcomes included the air kinetic energy released per unit mass {air kerma (AK) mGy} and the dose (kerma)-area product (DAP; µGy · m2), both measured using built-in software in the Siemens system. The secondary outcomes included the total procedure time and amount of contrast agent used with each CAG method. Results The total AK and DAP were significantly lower in the fluorography group (159.3±64.9 mGy and 1337.9±629.6 µGy · m2, respectively) than in the cineangiography group (326.9±107.5 mGy and 2341.1±849.9 µGy · m2, respectively; p=0.000 for both). The total procedure time (cineangiography vs. fluorography, 12.8±4.7 vs. 12.5±2.9 min; p=0.779) and contrast agent amount (136.1±28.3 vs. 126.3±25.7, p=0.214) were comparable between the two groups. Conclusion Fluorography is a useful method to decrease the radiation exposure in selected patients requiring CAG.


The capillary electrophoretic enantioseparation of rac‐propranolol using cellobiohydrolase Tr Cel7A as selector was optimized by an unbiased statistical experimental design. A set of pre‐experiments was performed in order to identify critical experimental factors. In the definitive chemometric design pH, ranging from 5 to 7, ionic strength ranging between 0.01 and 0.02 and organic solvent additive in concentration from 1 to 19% v/v were studied. The response surface plot revealed a separation optimum in the pH interval studied. When all parameters were taken into account, a background electrolyte consisting of 0.016 M bistris‐acetate buffer with pH 6.5 and 17% v/v acetonitrile gave the optimum separation. The significance of the statistical design was confirmed by the generally good agreement obtained between predicted response and actual experimental data.


This paper describes some new methods for the efficient factorization of sparse representations of moment method matrices. Previous work has described how a general moment method matrix may be transformed into a sparse matrix. The large off diagonal elements in that matrix described physical interactions between modes (e.g. between basis and testing functions) that interact strongly over a long distance. Other modes were created that interact very weakly over long distances, resulting in many small matrix elements and in a sparse matrix. The use of these new modes transformed a full moment method matrix Z into a sparse matrix T.


INTRODUCTION: The eccentric squat on a slope has been proved effective in conservative treatment of patellar tendinopathy, especially in the athletic population. However, several aspects such as intensity and pain during therapy still differ among authors. OBJECTIVES: To compare the effectiveness of two protocols of eccentric exercise (performed with and without pain), in the improvement of knee function and pain intensity in athletes with patellar tendinopathy. METHODS: 7 athletes of both genders with diagnosis of patellar tendinopathy were selected and randomly assigned to two treatment groups. The first group of volunteers performed eccentric squat exercises on a slope with pain in the patellar tendon. The second group of volunteers was instructed to perform the same exercise, but without presenting pain in the patellar tendon during performance. The treatment lasted 12 weeks and the evaluation of pain and function was performed by the VISA-P and VAS before starting treatment, at eight weeks of intervention, and at treatment completion. RESULTS: There was improvement in both groups when results of evaluations carried out after eight and 12 weeks of beginning of the treatment were compared  with the initial evaluation; however, no significant difference between the group that performed exercise with pain and the group that performed exercises without pain was found. Analysis of the probability of obtaining clinical improvement for VISA and VAS scores at eight and 12 weeks, there was no difference between the two groups. CONCLUSION: A program of eccentric exercise on an inclined plane using squat, performed with or without the presence of pain, was effective in improving pain and function in athletes with patellar tendinopathy.


Underwater pipelines are vital to the oil industry. Extending the service life of these pipelines is a key issue in improving the sustainability of oil transportation. A geotextile mattress with floating plate (GMFP) is a novel and sustainable countermeasure for scour and erosion control and is herein introduced to protect a partially buried pipeline from local scour in steady currents. A series of experiments was designed to verify the protection capabilities of the GMFP and investigate its parametric effects on protection. The average seepage hydraulic gradient under the pipeline was adopted to depict the protection effects of the GMFP, and was calculated with the pore pressure readings under the pipeline. The test results show that the GMFP is capable of protecting a pipeline from the onset of local scour in a unidirectional current. The average seepage hydraulic gradient below the pipeline decreases remarkably after a GMFP is installed. The average hydraulic gradient shows a descending trend with increased sloping angle α when 0.64 < sinα < 0.77. The hydraulic gradient hits a nadir at sinα = 0.77 and climbs with the increasing sloping angle when sinα > 0.82. The hydraulic gradient ascends when the bottom opening ratio δ increases from 0.167 to 0.231, due to the decreased intensity of the bottom vortex. The hydraulic gradient drops with a rising plate height, except for a fluctuation at Hp = 0.12 m. An approximate negative correlation is found between the obstruction height of the floating plate and the average hydraulic gradient under the pipeline. This could be partially attributed to the extension and amplification of the bottom vortex on the leeside of the pipeline due to the increased plate obstruction height.


A method for the compression of ECG (electrocardiogram) data is presented. The method is based on high-degree polynomial expansions. Data rules of about 350 b/s are achievable at an acceptable signal quality. The high compression is obtained by a carefully selected subdivision of the ECG signal into intervals that make optimal use of the special properties of the polynomial base functions. Each interval corresponds to one ECG period. The method is compared to the discrete cosine transform and is found to yield a significantly higher data compression for a given signal quality (quantified by mean squared error and peak error).<<ETX>>


Antibacterial nanocrystals have attracted great interests in recent years. In fact, with the emergence and increase of microbial organisms resistant to multiple antibiotics, many researchers have tried to develop new antibiotics. The aim of this research is to compare antibacterial activity of mono-metallic with composite nanocrystals, againstEscherichia coli, Salmonella galinarium, Staphylococcus aureus, Pesudomonas aueroginosa, and Bacillus subtilis, with and without sonication, for the first time. Mono-metallic with composite nanocrystals, are synthesized via wet method and ensure with oxalate decomposition in high temperature (500°C). FT-IR, XRD, SEM were used for determination of spectroscopic, structural and morphology of samples, respectively. Also the nanoparticls were digested and analyzed by ICP-AES for determining the presence of residual chemical element in the nanoparticles, after sonication. Bacterial sensitivity to nanocrystals, with and without sonication, were commonly tested using disc diffusion test and agar dilution test, also with determination of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC). The particles size was less of 100 nm, approximately. This study shows that synthesis of mono-metallic and composite nanocrystals, with oxalate decomposition method is simple and so useful. Although, we confirmed that utilized of the ultrasonic vibration were futile, entirely. Also, the Ag/ZnO nanocrystals have great antimicrobial agent against all of the strains and just combination of zinc oxide and silver nanocrystals, give increase their bactericidal effect.

 Key words: Antibacterial activity, Ag/ZnO, nanocomposite, synergistic antibacterial activities.


A challenge for constitutional processes is to facilitate popular participation, including among marginalised groups. Uneven inclusion is highly likely 'upstream', in the early stages when ground rules and foundational principles guiding constitutional change are fleshed out, and particularly so in deeply divided societies. This article explores the obstacles to such inclusion in constitutional discussion in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland after Brexit, asking what 'other' voices (including women's groups, ethnic minorities and youth) experience as barriers to participation and how they suggest these barriers can be overcome. We categorise barriers as situational, emotional and discursive, and show that discursive obstacles are experienced as the principal barrier to participation. We argue that an inclusive process requires not simply new institutional frameworks and agendas for deliberation, but also an overhaul of channels between policymakers and grassroots, enabling policymakers to communicate policy constraints and facilitating grassroots' critique into policy.


The World Bank's technical assistance work with new environmental protection institutions stresses cost-effective regulation, with market-based pollution control instruments implemented wherever feasible. But few environmental protection institutions can do the benefit-cost analysis needed because they lack data on industrial emissions and abatement costs. For the time being, they must use appropriate estimates. The industrial pollution projection system (IPPS) is being developed as a comprehensive response to this need for estimates. The estimation of IPPS parameters is providing a much clearer, more detailed view of the sources of industrial pollution. The IPPS has been developed to exploit the fact that industrial pollution is heavily affected by the scale of industrial activity, by its sectoral composition, and by the type of process technology used in production. Most developing countries have little or no data on industrial pollution, but many of them have relatively detailed industry-survey information on employment, value added, or output. The IPPS is designed to convert this information to a profile of associated pollutant output for countries, regions, urban areas, or proposed new projects. It operates through sectoral estimates of pollution intensity, or pollution per unit of activity. The IPPS is being developed in two phases. The first prototype has been estimated from a massive U.S. data base developed by the Bank's Policy Research Department, Environment, Infrastructure, and Agriculture Division, in collaboration with the Center for Economic Studies of the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This database was created by merging manufacturing census data with Environment Protection Agency data on air, water, and solid waste emissions. It draws on environmental, economic, and geographic information from about 200,000 U.S. factories. The IPPS covers about 1,500 product categories, all operating technologies, and hundreds of pollutants. It can project air, water, or solid waste emissions, and it incorporates a range of risk factors for human toxins and ecotoxic effects. The more ambitious second phase of IPPS development will take into account cross-country and cross-regional variations in relative prices, economic and sectoral policies, and strictness of regulation.


Recent research on the grinding force involved in cylindrical plunge grinding has focused mainly on steady-state conditions. Unlike in conventional external cylindrical plunge grinding, the conditions between the grinding wheel and the crankpin change periodically in path controlled grinding because of the eccentricity of the crankpin and the constant rotational speed of the crankshaft. The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of various grinding conditions on the characteristics of the grinding force during continuous path controlled grinding. Path controlled plunge grinding is conducted at a constant rotational speed using a cubic boron nitride (CBN) wheel. The grinding force is determined by measuring the torque. The experimental results show that the force and torque vary sinusoidally during dry grinding and load grinding. The variations in the results reveal that the resultant grinding force and torque decrease with higher grinding speeds and increase with higher peripheral speeds of the pin and higher grinding depths. In path controlled grinding, unlike in conventional external cylindrical plunge grinding, the axial grinding force cannot be disregarded. The speeds and speed ratios of the workpiece and wheel are also analyzed, and the analysis results show that up-grinding and down-grinding occur during the grinding process. This paper proposes a method for describing the force behavior under varied process conditions during continuous path controlled grinding, which provides a beneficial reference for describing the material removal mechanism and for optimizing continuous controlled crankpin grinding.


The HIV rate among U.S. migrant workers is 10 times that of the national rate. The highly unstable lifestyle of migrant workers places them at heightened vulnerability to sexually transmitted infections; hence, there is a need to investigate the attitudes and sexual risk factors that may play a protective role in the transmission of HIV in this population. This study examines the association between attitudes and HIV risk behaviors among Hispanic male and female migrant workers (n = 255) and their length of stay (shorter length of stay as a protective factor) in Immokalee, FL, USA. Pearson's correlation and regression analyses were utilized to analyze the relationship between HIV risk behaviors (intention to use condoms and alcohol use) with length of stay in Immokalee. Longer length of stay positively correlated with number of drinks (p < 0.05) and frequency of drinks (p < 0.01) and negatively correlated with ethnic identity search (p < 0.05). Regression analysis showed that length of stay predicted both behavioral intention to use condoms (p < 0.05) and alcohol consumption (p < 0.05). The findings suggest that migrant workers who are new to Immokalee may have a higher likelihood of practicing protective HIV risk behaviors and having more favorable attitudes toward risk reduction than long-timers. This study might provide important new evidence on the drivers of multiple concurrent and potential protective factors against risky sexual behaviors among Hispanic migrant workers.


This study aimed at comparing the effects of blockade or stimulation of beta-adrenoceptors on the head-twitch response induced in mice by direct (5-MeODMT) or indirect (5-HTP) activation of serotonergic receptors shows that: beta-agonists (clenbuterol and salbutamol) increased the 5-HTP-induced head-twitches and decreased the response to 5-MeODMT. beta-agonists (propranolol and penbutolol) reduced the head-twitches elicited by 5-HTP but enhanced those induced by 5-MeODMT. Under our experimental conditions, desipramine behaved like the beta-agonists studied. Prior intracerebroventricular injection of 5,7-DHT enhanced the response to 5-MeODMT but did not prevent the antagonism of clenbuterol against 5-MeODMT-induced head-twitches. These findings suggest that beta-receptors are in a position to regulate differentially serotonin transmission.


To gain a comprehensive understanding of whether ABCC5 can regulate prostate cancer (PCa) progression, we performed microarray data analyses and identified that ABCC5 was drastically increased in primary PCa relative to normal samples, metastatic PCa relative to primary PCa, and castration-resistant PCa relative to hormone naïve PCa, respectively. Multivariate Cox regression analysis suggested that ABCC5 overexpression in PCa was an independent prognostic factor for both poor biochemical recurrence-free and overall survival. We demonstrated that ABCC5 knockdown significantly inhibits PCa cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro and suppresses tumor growth and metastasis in vivo. We also demonstrated that miR-516a-3p was significantly downregulated in PCa. We finally demonstrated that ABCC5 was a direct target of miR-516a-3p. miR-516a-3p overexpression can phenotypically copy ABCC5 knockdown-induced phenotypes, whereas forced expression of ABCC5 can drastically reverse the inhibitory effects of miR-516a-3p. miR-516a-3p may modulate the sensitivity of cancer cells to adriamycin and docetaxel by targeting ABCC5 with important implications in the design of new therapeutic agents. Taken together, our results indicated that loss of miR-516a-3p expression and thus uncontrolled ABCC5 upregulation might drive PCa progression and influence chemosensitivity.


This study was conducted to assess the feasibility of COX1 NSAID substitution for aspirin for preventative therapy related to circulating anticoagulants, as manifest by inhibition of platelet aggregation. There was no difference in platelet aggregation inhibition between aspirin, naproxen, ketoprofen or diclofenac and misoprostol (in combination in the form of Arthrotec). As COX1 NSAIDs appear equivalent in platelet inhibition efficacy to aspirin, therapeutic regimens can be simplified in those individuals who require an NSAID for other problems. Further, despite its short serum halflife, Arthrotec appears as effective as an antiplatelet agent. Controlled, double blind studies of efficacy in blocking clinical events (both cardiovascular and gastrointestinal) are recommended.


Occlusions, scale variation and numerous false positives still represent fundamental challenges in pedestrian detection. Intuitively, different sizes of receptive fields and more attention to the visible parts are required for detecting pedestrians with various scales and occlusion levels, respectively. However, these challenges have not been addressed well by existing pedestrian detectors. This paper presents a novel convolutional network, denoted as box guided convolution network (BGCNet), to tackle these challenges simultaneously in a unified framework. In particular, we proposed a box guided convolution (BGC) that can dynamically adjust the sizes of convolution kernels guided by the predicted bounding boxes. In this way, BGCNet provides position-aware receptive fields to address the challenge of large variations of scales. In addition, for the issue of heavy occlusion, the kernel parameters of BGC are spatially localized around the salient and mostly visible key points of a pedestrian, such as the head and foot, to effectively capture high-level semantic features to help detection. Furthermore, a local maximum (LM) loss is introduced to depress false positives and highlight true positives by forcing positives, rather than negatives, as local maximums, without any additional inference burden. We evaluate BGCNet on popular pedestrian detection benchmarks, and achieve the state-of-the-art results, with the significant performance improvement on heavily occluded and small-scale pedestrians.


Rotaviruses of group A (RVA) are foremost cause of diarrhoeal diseases in neonates of animals and humans worldwide leading to substantial economic losses. The RVA non-structural protein-4 (NSP-4), a viral enterotoxin, is known to be associated with infantile gastroenteritis/secretory diarrhoea by inducing pathological changes in the mature enterocytes. In this study, the carboxyl terminus of NSP4 protein (73M to 175M) from a bovine RVA was expressed in Escherichia coli Tuner (DE3) pLysS cells. The fusion protein (rNSP4ct, ~31 kDa) with hexa-histidine tags on its both termini was purified by affinity chromatography under native condition using Nickel-Nitrilotriacetic acid (Ni-NTA) agarose resin. The purified soluble recombinant NSP4ct was confirmed by Western blot. The structural analysis of rNSP4 protein revealed similarity between bovine RVA and human RVA (central tetrameric coiled-coil region) and confirmed that it was composed of mainly alpha helix (85%), lacking the beta strands. The rNSP4ct protein of bovine RVA has the potential of being used in developing diagnostics, assessing the biological activity (enterotoxin property) of rNSP4ct in understanding the pathogenesis in intestinal mucosa which would reveal the role of anti-NSP4 antibodies in protection against rotavirus infection and stimulation of mucosal immunity in animal model.


The note highlights the importance of sound intergovernmental fiscal relations, and proper regulation for successful sub-national borrowing, and illustrates the potential macroeconomic hazards of decentralizing borrowing powers, arguing that the impact of a possible moral hazard problem, namely, the access to financial markets by sub-national governments, may generate unplanned liabilities for central governments. Yet academia, and country experiences do not suggest adverse links between decentralized borrowing powers, and the central government's ability to maintain fiscal discipline, and macroeconomic stability. Rather the key seems to lie in the design of fiscal decentralization, particularly the regulatory framework under which borrowing powers are decentralized. The note outlines the reasons why sub-national governments require access to financial markets: to finance capital spending, and foster political accountability, which can be achieved through direct borrowing by central government, through a public financial intermediary, or, through direct borrowing. As per designing the regulatory framework, the note suggests better information systems, bankruptcy laws, and access to tax bases, in addition to separate fiscal/financial systems, and sound legislation to impose budget discipline, enabling access to capital markets to complement fiscal powers devolution to regional authorities.


Purpose
The menopausal transition (MT) is a period when there may be an increase in visceral fat mass and a worsening of cardiometabolic risk factors. Few studies have evaluated the efficacy of plant-based low-calorie diets on groups of women at different stages of MT. The purpose of this study is to compare the effectiveness of a high plant-to-animal protein ratio diet in women of similar age but with different fertility statuses.

Design/methodology/approach
Subjects were divided into three groups according to their fertility status at the baseline: "premenopausal" (n = 11), "perimenopause" (n = 14) and "postmenopause" (n = 18). Body composition (BC) was measured at the beginning and after eight months of treatment. Individualised lifestyle treatment included a strong component of plant-based foods.

Findings
Forty-three overweight or obese Caucasian women (age 52.3 ± 4.5 years, body mass index 30.6 ± 5.4 kg/m2, fat mass 33.1 ± 9.3 kg data presented as means ± SD) were included in the study. Mean physical activity was 8.4 ± 7.6 metabolic equivalent of tasks/week. Subjects had an improvement in BC (fat mass −5.6 ± 4.0 kg, p < 0.001 protein −0.3 ± 0.5 kg, p < 0.001), HDL-C and systolic blood pressure values. Waist circumference and hip circumference decreased by 4.1 ± 3.1 cm and −6.0 ± 4.3 cm, respectively. Weight loss resulted in a significant improvement in some blood lipid values, such as total and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Adherence to a high plant protein diet helps adult women with different fertility statuses to improve BC and reduce cardiovascular risk factors. Long-term studies with larger sample sizes are needed to confirm these findings.

Originality/value
In pre-peri- and post-menopausal adult women, a diet high in plant proteins improves body composition and reduces cardiovascular risk factors.


The sequencing of a 6619 bp region encoding for a flocculation gene previously cloned from a strain defined as FLO5 (Bidard et al., 1994) has revealed that it was a FLO1 gene. The FLO1 gene product has been localized at the cell surface of the yeast cell by immunofluorescent microscopy. The Flo1 protein contains four regions with repeated sequences which account for about 70% of the amino acids of this protein. A functional analysis of the major repeated region has revealed that it plays an important role in determining the flocculation level. A gene disruption experiment has shown that the FLO5 strain STX 347‐1D contains at least two flocculation genes of the FLO1 type but that they are supposed to be inactive and do not contribute to its flocculation. However, enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays performed on intact cells have revealed that a protein expressed at the cell surface of the FLO5 strain STX 347‐1D is antigenically related to Flo1p. A deletion analysis of the 5′ region of the FLO1 gene has shown that the expression is submitted to controls which depend on the genetic background of the strain.


We have evaluated the Sonomatic Confirmation of Tracheal Intubation device (SCOTI) by testing its ability to be correctly configured with a variety of tracheal tubes of differing internal diameter and length. The device only configured correctly for RAE tubes with internal diameter of 7.0 mm or greater and for armoured tubes of internal diameter 8.5 mm. For conventional tubes of varying internal diameter cut to different lengths, configuration was only successful with certain dimensions. The inability to configure the device correctly with all types and lengths of tracheal tubes limits its usefulness as a indicator of tracheal intubation.


a b s t r a c t A multivariate analysis was used to determine the faunistic relationships of the northwest- ern Argentinean graptolite faunas of Floian age to faunas from Baltica, Avalonia, Laurentia and SW China. A statistical analysis at the species level of the five geographic regions for the Lower Floian was performed with the classic Jaccard's index. The resulting affinity dendro- gram shows stronger relationships between Early Floian graptolite faunas of northwestern Argentina and those from Baltica, with less obvious similarities to Great Britain (Avalo- nia) faunas and only weak affinities to North American (Laurentia) and Chinese (SW China) graptolite faunas. The statistical analysis confirms the paleobiogeographic relationships previously observed in other areas of the Cordillera Oriental, and supports the hypothesis that during the Early Ordovician, northwestern Argentina was located at middle to high latitudes, corresponding to the Atlantic Faunal Realm of cold water graptolite biofacies. The studied graptolite material from the Quinilican and Agua Chica sections is preserved in shales and siltstones interbedded with fine to medium-grained sandstones corresponding to the lower part of the Acoite Formation. The biostratigraphic implications of the associ- ated graptolites are briefly discussed, and Trichograptus dilaceratus (Herrmann), Acrograptus gracilis (Tornquist), Expansograptus latus (T.S. Hall) and Corymbograptus v-fractus tullbergi (Monsen) are described from the Argentine Cordillera Oriental for the first time.


The purpose of this paper is to explore the way in which the Korean church developed a popular image of Jesus Christ in her own context. Many scholars often refer to Minjung theology in order to find the Korean understanding of Jesus Christ. Yet, if one seeks to understand Korean Christology only through Minjung theology, he or she will not be able to grasp its whole nature. The evangelicals have also developed their own Christology that is rooted in a particular Korean context. As will be discussed in this paper, there are four popular images of Christ in Korean Christianity. These are: Christ as the Gift, the Reconciler, the Transformer, and the Liberator.


Nowadays, the availability of large-scale data in disparate application domains urges the deployment of sophisticated tools for extracting valuable knowledge out of this huge bulk of information. In that vein, low-rank representations (LRRs) which seek low-dimensional embeddings of data have naturally appeared. In an effort to reduce computational complexity and improve estimation performance, LRR has been viewed via a matrix factorization (MF) perspective. Recently, low-rank MF (LRMF) approaches have been proposed for tackling the inherent weakness of MF i.e., the unawareness of the dimension of the low-dimensional space where data reside. Herein, inspired by the merits of iterative reweighted schemes for rank minimization, we come up with a generic low-rank promoting regularization function. Then, focusing on a specific instance of it, we propose a regularizer that imposes column-sparsity jointly on the two matrix factors that result from MF, thus promoting low-rankness on the optimization problem. The problems of denoising, matrix completion and non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) are redefined according to the new LRMF formulation and solved via efficient Newton-type algorithms with proven theoretical guarantees as to their convergence and rates of convergence to stationary points. The effectiveness of the proposed algorithms is verified in diverse simulated and real data experiments.


The propagation of X-ray waves through an optical system consisting of many X-ray refractive lenses is considered. For solving the problem for an electromagnetic wave, a finite-difference method is applied. The error of simulation is analytically estimated and investigated. It was found that a very detailed difference grid is required for reliable and accurate calculations of the propagation of X-ray waves through a multi-lens system. The reasons for using a very detailed difference grid are investigated. It was shown that the wave phase becomes a function, very quickly increasing with increasing distance from the optical axis, after the wave has passed through the multi-lens system. If the phase is a quickly increasing function of the coordinates perpendicular to the optical axis, then the electric field of the wave is a quickly oscillating function of these coordinates, and thus a very detailed difference grid becomes necessary to describe such a wavefield. To avoid this difficulty, an equation for the phase function is proposed as an alternative to the equation of the electric field. This allows reliable and accurate simulations to be carried out when using the multi-lens system. An equation for the phase function is derived and used for accurate simulations. The numerical error of the suggested method is estimated. It is shown that the equation for the phase function allows efficient simulations to be fulfilled for the multi-lens system.


Water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica) has high nutritional value and is considered one of the most important vegetables in Southeast Asia. Because of its quick growth and efficicnt absorption of various substances, it has been suggested to be useful for sequestration of environmental pollutants as well as offering a source of medical materials. We have devel,oped and established a system for stable genetic transformation by infecting cut cotyledons with Agrobacterium harboring the GUS gene as a model case after eval uating conditions of bacteriai cell density, growth phase and concentrations of acetosyringone. The resulting transgenic plants grew normally to maturity, and exhibited stable GUS activity. Thus, genetic modification of I. aquatica can be readily achieved, thereby improving its quality for whatever traits desired.


This paper presents a novel modeling technique of image edge detection based on the complexity of images. The method is composed of an edge level detector and an adaptive edge level analysis. Edge level detection is related to how much attention a person needs to use to detect an edge. The edge level stage is based on the analysis of gradient information of images that is considered as fuzzy information. The adaptive edge detector section defines which edges will be shown according to the complexity of the image. Complexity is considered as a subjective characteristic that is represented by a fuzzy interpretation of the percentage of edges in an image. The edges that appear in the final result are selected through an integration of edge levels using fuzzy rules. Results of the new algorithm indicate that the behavior of the method is adaptive according to the complexity of the image as stated in our theory and they turn to be better than those obtained with conventional methods as shown in the paper.


To identify the proportion of libraries conducting digital reference service and to examine the characteristics of those services, we conducted a survey of 150 academic library Web sites. Approximately 45 percent of the surveyed libraries offered digital reference services, with higher proportions among larger and more comprehensive institutions. We also examined: direct links from library homepages, ways in which users submit questions, FAQ documents, policies, technological barriers, and the role of institutional control. The new phrase "digital reference" encompasses two old ideas: that one of the primary professional functions of a library and its staff is to help people find information, and that libraries and librarians should take advantage of new technologies to aid them in their work. Digital reference is merely the most recent in a long string of examples of librarians examining new technologies, learning about them, evaluating them, and incorporating them in their daily work, extending not only their own professional capabilities but the reach of those technologies. Although there has been much discussion of digital reference work over the past few years, little data exists about this quickly emerging area. As participants in the Internet Public Library, one of the first large-scale digital reference services, we were interested in finding out what our colleagues were doing, who was building and providing services, and what those services were like. We conducted a survey of 150 randomly selected academic libraries to answer two basic research questions: (1) what proportion of libraries conduct digital reference services? and (2) what are the characteristics of those digital reference services? The purpose of presenting the data from this preliminary study is to further inform the discussion on developing services and practice, generate ideas, and pose questions for further examination and research.(1) Review of Related Literature There has been a great deal of writing in the professional and research literature on digital reference services and the use of the Web in reference work. Many of these have been case studies, including the fine work of Lankes and others on the Virtual Reference Desk project, as well as work in the U. K. at EARL, at the National Museum of American Art, in medical libraries, and in academic libraries, including an article on the "well-kept secret" of e-mail reference.(2) There have also been some studies on the use of the Web in answering reference questions by Zumalt and Pasicznyuk; Janes and McClure; Gabriel; Tenopir and Ellis; Hsieh-Yee; and Bushallow-Wilbur.(3) Guidance on building digital reference services can by found in Lagace; Lagace and McClennen; and Fishman.(4) Broader, more conceptual contributions have been made by Sloan and Kautzman.(5) Perhaps Ryan's is the most useful article for this work, as she examined previous technological innovations in reference work, specifically mail, telephone, and teletype. She concluded that these technologies were quickly and effectively adapted and adopted, that policies and limitations to those services soon followed, and that librarians used them not only to extend the reach of their work but also to communicate with each other.(6) Methodology We chose to focus on academic libraries in investigating these questions for two reasons. First, it was our impression that many academic libraries were incorporating digital reference at the time, which would give us more examples to look at in detail. Second, it was easier to find Web sites for colleges or universities than for public libraries, which facilitated data collection. However, many public libraries provide high-quality service to their users via digital means, and we hope to be able to conduct a further investigation into those services in the near future. We could find no guidance in the reference literature for a definition of "digital reference service," so we developed our own: a mechanism by which people can submit their questions and have them answered by a library staff member through some electronic means (e-mail, chat, Web forms, etc. …


Designing anisotropic nano- and micro-structures are imperative in many technology oriented fields. Here we have reported a self templating method, where flower like microstructure of silver particles were used as template to generate several anisotropic structures such as rectangular cum dumbbell, cubes, hexagonal whiskers, and rectangular bars etc. under controlled catalytic activity of Co 2+ , Ni 2+ , Cu 2+ , and Zn 2+ respectively. The initial flower like microstructure (template) of silver particles have been prepared from silver salt using disodium salt of 4,4'-dicarboxy-2,2'-bipyridyl(Na2dcbpy) as the reducing as well as capping agent. Then this architecture was used as the initial template to generate several anisotropic structures. The straightforward anisotropic microstructure preparation procedure does not require any other external template, which avoids the subsequent complicated workup. The nucleation processes and optical properties were studied using optical absorption spectroscopy. The anisotropic structure of the as-synthesized Ag particles and the formations of various shaped microstructures have been confirmed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). A possible mechanism has been proposed explaining the role of dcbpy in the growth of silver particles and the transition metal ion induced anisotropic structures. Copyright © 2013 VBRI press.


BACKGROUND
Some studies suggested that human papillomavirus (HPV) infection could reduce the clinical pregnancy rate and double the spontaneous abortion rate compared with non-infected women after in-vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET). But some other studies showed there was no difference between HPV infected and non-infected groups of ART outcomes. The role of HPV infection in infertile women undergoing IVF treatments has been a controversial issue which this article attempts to investigate.

METHODS
This is a retrospective analysis of 3880 infertile women undergoing IVF treatment at Peking University Third hospital reproductive medical center in 2008. Patients with abnormal thin-layer preparation cytologic test (TCT) results who underwent fresh cycle embryo transfer were divided into an HPV positive group (n = 56) and an HPV negative group (n = 56). The clinical parameters were compared (using Student's t-test and chi-squared test). Univariate and multivariate analyses were taken to see if HPV infection affects the clinical pregnancy rate.

RESULTS
Of the 3880 cases 157 had TCT abnormality (4.0%). Of the 149 patients who had HPV test results, 112 women (81.2%) received a fresh cycle embryo transfer. Each group had 56 cases. The patients were of similar age and BMI, basic hormone levels, and infertile factors were similar. The gonadotropin use, oocyte retrieval number, clinical pregnancy rate, abortion rate and newborn condition were all similar between groups. Analyses showed neither HPV infection nor HPV hybrid capture (HC) II results affected clinical pregnancy rate after IVF treatments, but the FSH level did.

CONCLUSION
HPV positivity did not appear to impact assisted reproductive technology (ART) success. "Extensive treatment" for HPV before IVF was not recommended because treatment time will increase age and reduce ovarian function, which will lead to inferior IVF outcomes.


ABSTRACT Clinical relevance: Intraocular lens dislocation usually causes severe visual symptoms and even blindness in patients. It is important for eye care practitioners to be able to identify patients susceptible to intraocular lens dislocation. Background: To investigate the risk factors of intraocular lens dislocation following routine cataract surgery. Methods: This retrospective case–control study included patients diagnosed with intraocular lens dislocation between January 2007 and March 2018. Controls matched to the cases by age and time of routine cataract surgery in a ratio of 3:1 were randomly selected from patients without intraocular lens dislocation. The medical records of the patients were reviewed and analysed. Independent t-test, chi-square test, and logistic regression analysis were employed to identify risk factors of intraocular lens dislocation. Results: In total, 127 cases (with intraocular lens dislocation) and 381 controls (without intraocular lens dislocation) were evaluated. Among cases, the proportion of men was significantly higher than that of women (p = 0.012). High myopia was significantly associated with all types of intraocular lens dislocation; it was also a risk factor for in-the-bag intraocular lens dislocation. Lens subluxation was significantly associated with the in-the-bag and late intraocular lens dislocations. Intraoperative and post-operative vitrectomy, rather than pre-operative vitrectomy, were associated with intraocular lens dislocation. Post-operative trauma was significantly associated with in-the-bag intraocular lens dislocation; pre-operative and post-operative trauma were significantly associated with out-of-the-bag intraocular lens dislocation. Male sex (odds ratio (OR) = 2.996, p = 0.006), pre-operative trauma (OR = 7.861, p = 0.014), high myopia (OR = 11.268, p < 0.001), and lens subluxation (OR = 13.431, p = 0.018) were the risk factors of intraocular lens dislocation. Conclusion: Male sex, pre-operative trauma, high myopia, and lens subluxation were the main predisposing factors for intraocular lens dislocation in Chinese Han population.


Field bindweed and Russian knapweed were grown from seed or rhizome segments under 520, 325, or 236 μmol·m–2 · s–1 photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) to determine vegetative and reproductive response. Flower production in both species declined with decreasing light level. Leaf area of field bindweed decreased as light level decreased, but Russian knapweed leaf area increased as light intensity decreased from 520 to 325 μmol·m–2 ·s–1 PPFD or from 520 to 236 μmol·m–2 ·s–1. Dry matter of shoots, roots, and rhizomes of field bindweed grown from seed declined as light level decreased, but the only response of plants grown from rhizome segments was complete inhibition of rhizome production. Dry matter of Russian knapweed shoots and roots in plants grown from seed or rhizome segments decreased as light decreased. In both species the total PPFD was more important than whether low or high light level occurred first.


Drilling is a widely used production method, having a broad range of applications taking part in machining operations. The length of the cutting edge of the drill causes variations in cutting speed, resulting in undesired outputs. In order to decrease this adverse impact in drilling, selecting higher point angles is an obligation, associated with three different kinds of feed rates and spindle speeds. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of feed rate, spindle speed, and point angle on the fluctuation size in thrust force besides the effect of the fluctuation size in thrust force on the surface roughness, tool wear and chip morphology. In conclusion, while higher point angles provided optimum outputs such as lower fluctuation size in thrust force, less tool wear, better surface quality and continuous chip form, the effect of feed rate and spindle speed on these outputs varied depending on each other. With the stability in fluctuation size in thrust force, less tool wear took place, and better surface quality and continuous chip form were achieved. However, due to the effect of vibrations, higher fluctuation size in thrust force caused undesired outputs, such as poor surface quality, more tool wear, removal chip in short and brittle form during the drilling operations.


Liquid membranes usually have three main constructive variants: bulk liquid membranes (BLM), supported liquid membranes (SLM) and emulsion liquid membranes (ELM). Designing hybrid variants is very topical, with the main purpose of increasing the flow of substance through the membrane but also of improving the selectivity. This paper presents the operational limits of some kind of hybrid membrane constituted as a bulk liquid membrane (BLM), but which works by dispersing the aqueous source (SP) and receiving (RP) phases, with the membrane itself being a dispersion of nanoparticles in an organic solvent (NP–OSM). The approached operational parameters were the volume of phases of the hybrid membrane system, the thickness of the liquid membrane, the working temperature, the flow of aqueous phases, the droplet size of the aqueous phases dispersed across the membrane, the nature and concentration of nanoparticles in the membrane, the pH difference between the aqueous phases, the nature of the organic solvent, the salt concentration in the aqueous phases and the nature of transported chemical species. For this study, silver ion (SI) and p-nitrophenol (PNP) were chosen as transportable chemical species, the n-aliphatic alcohols (C6…C12) as membrane organic solvents, 10–undecenoic acid (UDAc) and 10-undecylenic alcohol (UDAl) as carriers and magnetic iron oxides as nanoparticles dispersed in the membrane phase. Under the experimentally established operating conditions, separation efficiencies of over 90% were obtained for both ionic and molecular chemical species (silver ions and p-nitrophenol). The results showed the possibility of increasing the flow of transported chemical species by almost 10 times for the silver ion and approximately 100 times for p-nitrophenol, through the appropriate choice of operational parameters, but they also exposed their limits in relation to the stability of the membrane system.


Psychological testing of minority patients is a frequently debated issue, not only in the scientific literature, but in the mass media, the courts, and legislative bodies. A historical overview of the controversy illustrates past abuses in such testing, but a closer look at methodological issues concerning cognitive-intellectual tests and objective personality assessment illustrates that the tests can be appropriately used with minority patients. Suggestions for appropriate use, backed by case illustrations, include gaining an understanding of a patient's cultural background; using interpreters and culture-appropriate reinforcers; supplementing formal testing with informal procedures; making sure patients understand required tasks; and taking into account ethnicity and social class during interpretation of results.


PURPOSE
To investigate a first pass analysis technique to measure absolute flow from low dose CT images in a cardiac phantom. This technique can be combined with a myocardial mass assignment to yield absolute perfusion using only two volume scans and reduce the radiation dose to the patient.

METHODS
A four-chamber cardiac phantom and perfusion chamber were constructed from poly-acrylic and connected with tubing to approximate anatomical features. The system was connected to a pulsatile pump, input/output reservoirs and power contrast injector. Flow was varied in the range of 1-2.67 mL/s with the pump operating at 60 beats/min. The system was imaged once a second for 14 seconds with a 320-row scanner (Toshiba Medical Systems) using a contrast-enhanced, prospective-gated cardiac perfusion protocol. Flow was calculated by the following steps: subsequent images of the perfusion volume were subtracted to find the contrast entering the volume; this was normalized by an upstream, known volume region to convert Hounsfield (HU) values to concentration; this was divided by the subtracted images time difference. The technique requires a relatively stable input contrast concentration and no contrast can leave the perfusion volume before the flow measurement is completed.

RESULTS
The flow calculated from the images showed an excellent correlation with the known rates. The data was fit to a linear function with slope 1.03, intercept 0.02 and an R2 value of 0.99. The average root mean square (RMS) error was 0.15 mL/s and the average standard deviation was 0.14 mL/s. The flow rate was stable within 7.7% across the full scan and served to validate model assumptions.

CONCLUSION
Accurate, absolute flow rates were measured from CT images using a conservation of mass model. Measurements can be made using two volume scans which can substantially reduce the radiation dose compared with current dynamic perfusion techniques.


Since the emergence of an international book market in the mid-nineteenth century, publishers have acted as gatekeepers in regulating access to literary works, including translations, and in constructing entire literary fields. However, from both academic and non-academic perspectives, published translations have often been examined as if in a textual vacuum, in which the translator's strategies and choices are scrutinised via a logic of losses and gains in relation to the source text. In the wake of the incorporation of sociological theories and concepts into Translation Studies, scholars have now begun to address the institutional role played by publishing houses and to acknowledge the diversity of agents involved. This article reviews the literature on the topic since the early 2000s, focusing on studies which, while premised on various theoretical, conceptual, and methodological perspectives, show convergence in acknowledging the collaborative dynamic of publishing and its effects on both the translation process and product.


Cardiac hypertrophy is a growth process that occurs in response to stress stimuli or injury, and leads to the induction of several pathways to alter gene expression. Under hypertrophic stimuli, sarcomeric structure is disrupted, both as a consequence of gene expression and local changes in sarcomeric proteins. Cardiac-restricted ankyrin repeat protein (CARP) is one such protein that function both in cardiac sarcomeres and at the transcriptional level. We postulate that due to this dual nature, CARP plays a key role in maintaining the cardiac sarcomere. GATA4 is another protein detected in cardiomyocytes as important in hypertrophy, as it is activated by hypertrophic stimuli, and directly binds to DNA to alter gene expression. Results of GATA4 activation over time were inconclusive; however, the role of CARP in mediating hypertrophic growth in cardiomyocytes was clearly demonstrated. In this study, Neonatal Rat Ventricular Myocytes were used as a model to detect changes over time in CARP and GATA4 under hypertrophic stimulation by phenylephrine and high serum media. Results were detected by analysis of immunoblotting. The specific role that CARP plays in mediating cellular growth under hypertrophic stimuli was studied through immunofluorescence, which demonstrated that cardiomyocyte growth with hypertrophic stimulation was significantly blunted when NRVMs were co-treated with CARP siRNA. These data suggest that CARP plays an important role in the hypertrophic response in cardiomyocytes.


Liver biopsies obtained from 24 patients with alcoholic liver disease were studied by light and electron microscopy. Comparisons of the same cells in adjacent sections revealed that alcoholic hyalin is a fibrillar deposit without limiting membranes and is readily distinguished from giant mitochondria. This characteristic fibrillar structure was encountered in hepatocytes, ductular cells and in benign and malignant hepatomas. Three distinct morphologic forms of alcoholic hyalin were observed: a) bundles of filaments in parallel arrays, b) clusters of randomly oriented fibrils and c) a granular or amorphous substance containing only scattered remains of fibrils. Closely associated with alcoholic hyalin and often found along its entire circumference, were bundles of fine filaments in parallel arrangement of much smaller size. These occasionally displayed variations in orientation and merged with the filaments in the alcoholic hyalin body. Similar fine filaments were observed, in considerable excess, in cells which did not contain alcoholic hyalin. According to our findings, the fine filaments and the significantly larger filaments in alcoholic hyalin could be parts of a contractile system elaborated by host cells during the course of hepatic injury.


Obviously, the relationship between furniture design education and the furniture industry is very important in terms of improving the industry itself in Turkey. Therefore, the Turkish government has established a number of furniture design departments in vocational - technical high schools and faculties to educate students for (he furniture industry. This paper aims to underline the history of furniture and furniture design education from the very early beginning, its relationship to the furniture industry and to the government's priorities in Turkey. It is assumed that they may play such an important role as to pioneer the industry and to follow up changing technology and information.


The article deals with the impact of global climate change on the development of the insurance market. The necessity of formation of «climate economy» as the quintessence of human and nature in the globalized economic environment is substantiated. The risks of changing climatic conditions of the economy are gradually becoming more apparent. This is expected to have a significant impact on business expectations and economic performance. At the same time, the role of the insurance market as a preventer of crisis phenomena and climate risks is growing. The main economic risks are identified: physical risks of climate change, transitional and liability risks and directions of development of the insurance services market. Key initiatives identified to raise awareness and accelerate response to climate change risks. Climate risk must be a top foreign policy priority. Climate change prevention requires the use of the capacity of government agencies and the creation of cross-sectoral and interagency working groups. The peculiarities of the activity of insurance companies in climate change are investigated. It has been proven that the insurance industry is increasingly able to form a «climate economy» and should help society to deal with climate risks. Insurance companies should focus on promoting consumer awareness of risks and developing the availability of insurance products. It is advisable to use preventive information and behavioral economics approaches when distributing insurance products. It has been proved that special attention should be paid to the development, support and implementation of product innovations in the insurance market in climate change. This is an important aspect of promoting the instruments of climate economy development. The global nature of reinsurance markets makes it possible to diversify risks, reducing overall losses. The feasibility of introducing preventive measures in the activities of insurers to improve the assessment of the effects of climate change and manage the risks of climate change is substantiated.


Background: Smokers with CMH are at greater risk of developing COPD, yet the relationship between smoking intensity, CMH and age is little studied. We investigated CMH prevalence according to concurrent smoking intensity at different ages within the MRC National Survey of Health and Development (NSHD) birth cohort. Methods: The MRC NSHD consists of a sample of men and women born in one week in March 1946 within England, Scotland and Wales. Cigarette smoking behaviour and MRC questionnaire defined CMH were recorded at the following ages (years): 20, 25, 36, 43, 53 & 63. We calculated CMH prevalence according to smoking intensity (number of cigarettes smoked daily). Results: 4427 individuals (52% male) contributed to ≥1 time-point. Between the ages 20 and 63 years the prevalence of active smoking decreased from 46% to 12%. CMH prevalence increased with concurrent smoking intensity and this relationship was amplified by age (See Figure 1). Conclusion: Within this birth cohort the strength of the relationship between concurrent smoking intensity and CMH prevalence increased with age, potentially representing a cumulative smoking effect and/or heightened susceptibility to the symptomatic consequences of smoking with ageing.


We have reported that the immune modulator, glucan, rapidly induces cardioprotection. TLR2 is required for glucan activation of cellular signaling. However, the role of TLR2 in cardioprotection has not been investigated. Peptidoglycan (PDG) activates cellular signaling specifically through TLR2. In this study we examined the effect of modulation of TLR2 on myocardial I/R injury. TLR2 KO (n=8) and wild type mice (n=8) were treated with PDG (100 ƒÝg/25g) or glucan (1 mg/25g) one hr before the hearts were subjected to ischemia (1 hr)/reperfusion (4 hrs). Untreated mice (n=8) served as control. To investigate the role of PI3K/Akt in modulation of TLR2‐induced cardioprotection, we administered PDG (100 ƒÝg/25g) or glucan (1 mg/25g) to kdAkt transgenic mice (n=8) one hr before I/R. Myocardial infarction was determined by TTC staining. Infarct size was significantly reduced in PDG (10.5 ¡Ó 3.03% vs 30.1 ¡Ó 7.59%, p<0.01) and glucan (11.6 ¡Ó 2.38% vs 36.1 ¡Ó 3.48%, p<0.01) treated mice vs untreated mice. Both PDG and glucan‐induced cardioprotection were completely abolished in TLR2 KO mice. The cardioprotection induced by either direct (PDG) or indicate (glucan) modulation of TLR2 was also abolished in kdAkt mice. The results suggest that the mechanism of modulation of TLR2‐induced cardioprotection is mediated through a PI3K/Akt dependent mechanism and that there is a link between TLR2 and PI3K/Akt signaling during I/R.


Through the analysis of relationship between chaotic characteristics and cryptology, putting forward a chaotic algorithm of image encryption with double keys. Using the discrete Logistic map to produce the chaotic sequence, the original value of the sequence is regarded as the secret key. Then using the discrete Logistic map to produce the corresponding scrambling sequence, in order to utilize it to carry out the gray scrambling and location scrambling on the pixels that getting discretely from the image, so as to realize the image encryption. Finally using Matlab to actualize the simulation experiment, and the result indicates that this algorithm has widest secret key's space, and the ability of resisting statistic attack.


Despite their negative charge, anionic dyes are less-than-ideal tracers of water flow in soil. A new method is presented here for detecting flow patterns faithfully representing the movement of water flow paths in structured and nonstructured soils. The method is based on application of ammonium carbonate during infiltration, which displays a unique color signature when sprayed with a pH indicator after excavation and exposure of the soil profile along a trench face. We compare its performance with that of the popular Brilliant Blue in a laboratory study, and show that it is a more conservative tracer of the water front. We also illustrate its use in a field experiment to detect preferential flow. In contrast to other methods, ammonium carbonate is inexpensive, nontoxic, and leaves negligible residue.


The purpose of this study is to investigate one's emotional reactions to social behaviors of the other one. Here, the interpersonal sentiments, i.e., persistent feelings of the other as liking or disliking, were distinguished from the emotions, i.e., temporary and intensive affects as joy or anger. Subjects were 30 males and 30 females. They were asked what kind of emotions people in general would feel in the following social interactions. Interaction situations were constructed by the combinations of three variables, i.e., two sentiments to the other one, 10 social behaviors of the other one, and sexes of the other one. Results showed that one's emotions were heavily dependent upon the interpersonal sentiments to the other one. People would feel very different emotions even to the same kinds of behaviors of the other one, according to the differences of sentiments to the other. In addition, people would have very different emotional reactions to the different behaviors of the same person.


In this paper, we describe the simulation and measurement results of a fully integrated low-voltage CMOS rectification and bin-integration (RBI) module based on switched-capacitor and dedicated to nerve signal (Electroneurogram) acquisition and processing. RBI is the most common signal processing function applied to the nerve signals and since the frequency of these signals is relatively low, switched-capacitor architecture has been used. The proposed device comprises a new always-valid output sample-and-hold block followed by a full wave rectifier and a three-stage bin-integrator. The integrated circuit has been realized in CMOS 0.35 mm technology. The design, simulation and measurement results of the proposed module are presented. At plusmn1.3 V supply, the device delivers an RBI error of less than -45 dB for a sine wave input of 7.2 kHz that is the main component of the nerve signal and an output dynamic range of plusmn1.1 V while dissipating 578 muW and occupying a silicon area of 5.83 mm2.


We propose a method for redistricting, decomposing a geographical area into subareas, called districts, so that the populations of the districts are as close as possible and the districts are compact and contiguous. Each district is the intersection of a polygon with the geographical area. The polygons are convex and the average number of sides per polygon is less than six. The polygons tend to be quite compact. With each polygon is associated a center. The center is the centroid of the locations of the residents associated with the polygon. The algorithm can be viewed as a heuristic for finding centers and a balanced assignment of residents to centers so as to minimize the sum of squared distances of residents to centers; hence the solution can be said to have low dispersion.


Cities' green areas are fragmented patches and are often confined to smaller sizes than the higher built-up proportions. Such small-sized green areas can be essential components of green infrastructure to compensate for biodiversity loss. As a proxy to biodiversity, we studied birds in nine small green area locations of Freiburg and eight area locations in Regensburg in Germany. We investigated the neighboring green networks (distance to the nearest water body and another green area) and landscape metrics (patch abundance and habitat heterogeneity at a 1 km radius) that might benefit and explain bird richness and composition in small green areas. We found that the variations in the observed species richness and composition at the surveyed locations were better explained solely by green networks in Freiburg and by green networks and landscape metrics in Regensburg. In general, it indicates that a small green area could be biodiverse if its spatial distribution considers a nearby water body and other green areas, allowing a higher abundance of similar patches and habitat heterogeneity in the neighborhood.


Currently, open-domain generative dialog systems have attracted considerable attention in academia and industry. Despite the success of single-turn dialog generation, multi-turn dialog generation is still a big challenge. So far, there are two kinds of models for open-domain multi-turn dialog generation: hierarchical and non-hierarchical models. Recently, some works have shown that the hierarchical models are better than non-hierarchical models under their experimental settings; meanwhile, some works also demonstrate the opposite conclusion. Due to the lack of adequate comparisons, it's not clear which kind of models are better in open-domain multi-turn dialog generation. Thus, in this paper, we will measure systematically nearly all representative hierarchical and non-hierarchical models over the same experimental settings to check which kind is better. Through extensive experiments, we have the following three important conclusions: (1) Nearly all hierarchical models are worse than non-hierarchical models in open-domain multi-turn dialog generation, except for the HRAN model. Through further analysis, the excellent performance of HRAN mainly depends on its word-level attention mechanism; (2) The performance of other hierarchical models will also obtain a great improvement if integrating the word-level attention mechanism into these models. The modified hierarchical models even significantly outperform the non-hierarchical models; (3) The reason why the word-level attention mechanism is so powerful for hierarchical models is because it can leverage context information more effectively, especially the fine-grained information. Besides, we have implemented all of the models and already released the codes.


Successive extraction of Thyme plant, Thymus capitatus (L.) Hoffm. and Link (Lamiaceae), by different solvents of increasing polarity, showed that potency was highly attributed to the non-polar fraction (e.g., petroleum ether) when tests were carried out against the larvae and adults of Culex pipiens (L). Of special concern to the mosquitocidal activity, the following fractions and isolates were recognized: the volatile oil, unsaponifiable portion, and certain compounds isolated from the unsaponifiable portion (e.g., Thymol, alpha-Amyrin, Carvacrol + beta-Caryophyllene). The volatile oil, Thymol, and the unsaponifiable portion proved high larvicidal potency against the tested insect (LC50 = 49.0, 58.0, and 100.0 ppm, respectively). Non-lethal concentrations of these substances synergized the toxicity of Malathion, while induced additive or antagonistic effects when mixed with Permethrin or Pirimiphos-methyl. The unsaponifiable portion and volatile oil showed the highest adulticidal potency (LC50 = 0.0070 and 0.0076 mg/cm2, respectively). The efficacy of the tested candidates as repellent agents was found in the following order: unsaponifiable portion > alpha-Amyrin > Thymol > volatile oil > Carvacrol + beta-Caryophyllene. Thymol as well as volatile oil affected egg hatchability, causing Sterility Indices accounting for 0.70 and 0.74, respectively, while the unsaponifiable portion showed lower degree of sterility (0.81). The results obtained in this study may shed light on the importance of T. capitatus as a probable source of some biologically active agents for mosquito control in the future.


PURPOSE
To evaluate the feasibility and results of sildenafil used as radiosensitizer by causing penile vasodilatation and reducing tumor hypoxia in radical radiotherapy for penile cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Three men with histopathologic diagnosis of squamous carcinoma of penis were treated with radical external radiotherapy with concomitant sildenafil. Acute and late adverse events were noted according to RTOG toxicity criteria. Response to radiotherapy, as well as disease-free and overall survivals, was evaluated.

RESULTS
All three patients achieved tumescence, completed the treatment and achieved complete response. One patient had recurrence at 10 months and died of the disease after 23 months from starting the treatment. Other two patients are disease-free and alive at 48 and 53 months respectively. No excess acute or late adverse event was observed.

CONCLUSION
Sildenafil may act as radiosensitizer by causing penile vasodilatation and reducing hypoxia. Larger controlled studies are required to validate the hypothesis.


Poetics of the Intertekstual Literary Reportage. The Case of Mariusz Szczygiel The intertextuality is one of a few terms gaining dominion over a whole contemporary culture. However, as long as literary reportage is considered the traditional mimetic relation takes the first and the last place alike. The main thesis of herein paper is that after the postmodern turn the naive referential analysis of creative non-fiction cannot be the most accurate way of interpreting anymore. Intertextuality appears to be able to refresh some reading methods and make them as adequate as possible in the postmodern reality. Moreover, it is not only about a kind of scholarly designed methodology, but also about a groundbreaking subgenre: an intertextual reportage which bases on the intentionally established relations between some texts. One of the most characteristic representatives of this genre variant is Mariusz Szczygiel whose pathway leads from an ordinary reportage form early 90's to contemporary intertextual reportages about Czech Republic. Szczygiel is aware of fact that human perception is deeply influenced by some cultural schemes determined mostly by novels, newspapers, electronic media and art. That's why the intertextual relations in his pieces seems to be even more important than the process of referring to the actual reality. The herein paper follows Szczygiel's way from modern to postmodern configurations of the literary reportage, reconstructs his vision of the Bohemia with its art and literature and analyses one of his most specific works in terms of intertextuality.


The transverse crack in continuously reinforced concrete pavement (CRCP), more specifically transverse crack spacing and crack widths, has been cited as one of the most important pavement structural responses determining CRCP performance. Efforts have been made to predict crack spacing and crack widths for given environmental conditions and traffic loading, pavement structure, and material properties, with the primary objective of developing rational CRCP designs. However, that most transverse cracks develop at or near transverse steel implies substantial interactions between transverse steel and other factors causing transverse cracks. These interactions have not been fully incorporated in the theoretical models developed so far to predict transverse crack spacing and crack widths in CRCP. This study investigated the interactions between transverse steel and other factors and identified the mechanisms of transverse crack development at or near the transverse steel. Drying shrinkage and temperature drop in concrete cause concrete volume contractions in all directions (not just transverse and longitudinal, but vertical directions as well). Interactions between concrete volume contraction vertically and transverse steel cause larger concrete tensile stresses at or near transverse steel than at other areas and cause a higher probability of transverse cracks near transverse steel. Traditionally, subgrade drag theory has been used in the design of transverse steel even though current practice is to place just enough transverse steel to support longitudinal steel during concrete placement. If transverse cracks have such substantial effects on CRCP performance as currently thought, interactions between transverse steel and other factors should be considered in the design of optimum transverse steel.


Background and objective: Consumer interests in probiotic foods have increased in recent decades. Food industries respond to these growing interests by developing innovative products and guaranteeing high production efficiency. Cereals, due to their prebiotic nature, are good fermentable substrates; from which, potentially functional foods could be achieved. The aim of this study was to verify effects of D-glucose addition on fermentation of rice, oat and wheat flours. Material and methods: Suspensions of 15% of cereals flours (rice, oat and wheat) in distilled water added with increasing glucose concentrations (2, 5, 7 and 10% w v -1 ) were fermented by Lactobacillus paracasei CBA L74 for 24 h. Then, pH, microbial growth and lactic acid production were assessed. Results and conclusion: Rice fermentation was not affected by glucose addition. For oat and wheat, addition of D-glucose increased bacterial concentration, as well as lactic acid production. In particular, the best growth was achieved by the addition of 2 and 5% of glucose. Furthermore, lactic acid concentration increased with increased glucose concentration. In conclusion, D-glucose addition seems to be unnecessary for the improvement of rice fermentation. On the contrary, oat and wheat fermentations need further available carbon sources for a better Lactobacillus growth and a higher lactic acid production. Conflict of interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest.


SUMMARY Electromyograms from the elevator and depressor muscles, together with tarsal claw receptor activity, were recorded from the fourth legs of freely walking scorpions. The slope of the depressor burst duration versus step cycle time was less for short cycle times, below about 600 ms, than it was for longer cycles. The opposite was true for the elevator burst duration versus step cycle relationship, and the slope for longer cycle times was not significantly different from zero. The switching of motor activity between antagonists at the stance to swing phase transition was different from that of the swing to stance phase. The depressor burst invariably terminated before the elevator burst, while the elevator burst frequently did not terminate until after the depressor burst had begun. A similar asymmetry of the elevator/depressor motor programme has been described for insect and crustacean preparations. The termination of the depressor muscle burst represents the initial peripheral indicator that the decision to step has been made centrally. The latency between the central decision and the time when the leg is lifted, as determined by tarsal claw receptor burst termination, can be as much as 125 ms. This observation is of importance when considering both intrasegmental and intersegmental neural control mechanisms of scorpion locomotion.


Nanofluids a simple product of the emerging world of nanotechnology are suspensions of nanoparticles in conventional base fluids such as water, oils, or glycols. In the present paper uniform suspension of Al2O3 nanoparticle in water of different concentration have been prepared. The ultrasonic velocity, absorption, density and viscosity measurements were carried out in the concentration range of 0.2 wt % to 1.0 wt % and temperature range between 2930K to 3130K at frequencies of 2 MHz and 10 MHz.Ultrasonic velocity and absorption measurements are carried out by MHF-400 high frequency pulser receiver. To maintain desired accurate constant temperature Plasto Craft thermostat with accuracy of ± 0.10C in temperature range -100C to 950 C is used. Variations of these parameters are interpreted in terms of intermolecular interactions. The variation of acoustic and thermodynamic parameters indicates different kind of molecular interactions, physico-chemical behaviour and their strength.


Oscar Wilde has recently been appropriated by feminist scholars in two distinct ways. On the one hand he is read as a proto-feminist writer, with feminist sympathies, whose editorial work publicised many women writers, and who publicly supported the causes of female education - especially to university level - female suffrage, and female participation in the workplace. However, many others have pointed out that despite this, there remains a powerful and important level of extreme misogyny running throughout his work, and that this must be read back into his political and aesthetic commitments. This article warns that, before we peremptorily attempt to assimilate Wilde into either a feminist or a misogynist paradigm, we must engage with the interpretive model in which he understood relations between the sexes: Roman Catholicism, which, while politically conservative, contained radically subversive gender possibilities.


The irrigation problem is the problem of finding an efficient way to transport a mea- sure µ + onto a measure µ � . By efficient, we mean that a structure that achieves the transport (which, following (Bernot, Caselles and Morel, Publ. Mat. 49 (2005) 417-451), we call traffic plan) is better if it carries the mass in a grouped way rather than in a separate way. This is formalized by considering costs functionals that favorize this property. The aim of this paper is to introduce a dynamical cost functional on traffic plans that we argue to be more realistic. The existence of minimizers is proved in two ways: in some cases, we can deduce it from a classical semicontinuity argument; the other cases are treated by studying the link between our cost and the one introduced in (Bernot, Caselles and Morel, Publ. Mat. 49 (2005) 417-451). Finally, we discuss the stability of minimizers with respect to specific variations of the cost functional.


Healthcare is a complex and versatile machine whose role is to offer care for the human. Because of the anthropocentric nature of the service provided, the scientific area is called upon to efficiently combine the factors that make up the health sector for the benefit of both citizens and healthcare providers.
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the operation of the supply chain and the procurement administration mainly in the Public Health Sector, to investigate the process and its results and to propose solutions to issues that need to be improved.
The main objective is to highlight the significance of costs to and for all involved and to identify a beneficial way of reducing both the costs of the provision of health services individually but also through the improvement of the supply chain process.
More specifically, through the bibliographic review, a presentation of hospital practices in the field of procurement is presented, the legislative framework applied, material management and the results of the tactics followed are presented.
The bibliographic review highlights the need for process optimization by illuminating aspects such as outsourcing and the issue of e-procurement, which concludes the need for training and specialization of staff, the maintenance of long-lasting and stable relationships with suppliers as well as the flexibility of synchronization with new methods proposed by the development of technology. The findings create a combination of stable relationships and vigilance of new data, which is applied to business needs is key to maximizing cost-effectiveness of the supply chain process.


Abstract Breeding bird community in a densely built-up area (mainly block buildings with abundant trees and shrubs) in the city of Wroclaw (96.8 ha) were compared between the year 1996 and 2009. In 2009, 25 breeding species were recorded. Columba livia and Passer domesticus were eudominants comprising together 60.2% of the bird community, while Apus apus and Passer montanus were dominants (together 11.1%). The most common were granivores (66.8%; 4 species) and insectivores (19.0%, 14 species). In comparison with 1996, the following species have increased in numbers by the year 2009: Columba palumbus, Pica pica, Corvus cornix, Parus caeruleus, Passer montanus, Carduelis chloris, Sylvia atricapilla, Falco tinnunculus and Turdus pilaris; while Corvus monedula, Phoenicurus ochruros, Turdus merula, Fringilla coelebs, Muscicapa striata, Hippolais icterina and Streptopelia decaocto have decreased.


The ability of electrodermal variables to predict negative symptoms and functional outcome over a 1-year period in schizophrenia was investigated in 78 young, recent-onset outpatients. Patients were stabilized on standardized medication and largely free of psychotic symptoms. Higher levels of both tonic (skin conductance level, nonspecific skin conductance response rate) and phasic (number of skin conductance orienting responses) activity were associated with more negative symptoms and with a combination of poorer social and occupational outcome at 1-year follow-up. This pattern was seen in both male and female patients, and in older and younger patients. Results are interpreted as suggesting that high levels of arousal and overreactivity to the environment may interfere with efficient cognitive processing in schizophrenia, contributing to poor outcome, and that negative symptoms might partially serve as a means of coping with overarousal.


OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect on in vitro dissolution from cutting methylphenidate extended-release tablets in half. DESIGN: Ritalin-SR (Ciba Pharmaceutical Co.) and generic methylphenidate extended-release (MD Pharmaceutical Inc.) tablets were dissolved in water according to the method prescribed by the US Pharmacopeia under two conditions: whole and halved. Samples were collected at 15, 30, and 45 minutes and at 1, 2, 3, 3.5, 4, 5, 6, and 7 hours. Methylphenidate content was determined by HPLC. RESULTS: Halving the tablets caused a statistically significant increase in cumulative dissolution as early as 15 minutes. The difference in cumulative dissolution reached its maximum for both Ritalin-SR and generic methylphenidate extended-release tablets at 2 hours. At this time point, the percent dissolution of the whole versus halved tablets was 57% versus 74% (Ritalin-SR), respectively, and 49% versus 67% (generic), respectively. The dissolution profiles of halved and whole extended-release methylphenidate tablets were parallel from this point through the 7-hour collection period. At 7 hours, however, there was no difference in the cumulative dissolution of halved versus whole tablets. CONCLUSIONS: While statistical differences during in vitro dissolution do exist and pharmacokinetic ramifications have not yet been determined, the absolute differences in dissolution between halved and whole tablets are not great. Halving methylphenidate extended-release tablets may be a clinically acceptable means of achieving a small increment/decrement in dose without converting to a regular-release tablet.


In 3 studies, the authors tested the hypothesis that discrimination targets' worldview moderates the impact of perceived discrimination on self-esteem among devalued groups. In Study 1, perceiving discrimination against the ingroup was negatively associated with self-esteem among Latino Americans who endorsed a meritocracy worldview (e.g., believed that individuals of any group can get ahead in America and that success stems from hard work) but was positively associated with self-esteem among those who rejected this worldview. Study 2 showed that exposure to discrimination against their ingroup (vs. a non-self-relevant group) led to lower self-esteem, greater feelings of personal vulnerability, and ingroup blame among Latino Americans who endorsed a meritocracy worldview but to higher self-esteem and decreased ingroup blame among Latino Americans who rejected it. Study 3 showed that compared with women informed that prejudice against their ingroup is pervasive, women informed that prejudice against their ingroup is rare had higher self-esteem if they endorsed a meritocracy worldview but lower self-esteem if they rejected this worldview. Findings support the idea that perceiving discrimination against one's ingroup threatens the worldview of individuals who believe that status in society is earned but confirms the worldview of individuals who do not.

http://depts.washington.edu/silab/Documents/Major, Kaiser, OBrien, %26 McCoy (2007).pdf


Nonwoven materials have attracted much interest in the industry due to their high surface area, high porosity, and low cost. However due to the complexity of deformation mechanisms in these materials, controlling the mechanical properties has been challenging. Therefore, it is important to establish the fundamental understanding of the relationship between the microstructure and the macroscopic behavior. Motivated by this, mechanical properties and deformation mechanisms of aramid nonwovens as a function of areal weight were reported using several analytical tools. The initial fiber orientation alignment was found significantly different within the nonwoven types according to XRD patterns. Fiber orientation evolution under both monotonic tensile and stress relaxation tests was tracked using in-situ X-ray diffraction. As the strain increased, fiber alignment along the loading direction was observed in all three types of nonwovens. Results suggested that the areal weight is not necessarily a predictor of the mechanical properties of aramid nonwovens as the fiber alignment plays a vital role in the performance of these materials.


A broad discussion is presented of the problems and issues involved in the development of integrated office systems to support higher-level tasks of managers. The authors provide conceptual integration by establishing a framework for the office activities of managers. They discuss the technological integration of disparate office systems through architecture and design of an integrated office information system (IOIS). The IOIS described was developed from the integration of four IOISs at the University of Arizona: the integrated spreadsheet-based inferencing systems (ISBIS); Plexsys planning software (Plexware); the Resource Management Expert (RME); and an intelligent mail system (AIMAIL).<<ETX>>


Among the various strategies proposed for reducing or eliminating bias against small flows (in the presence of large flows), most require to identify and distinguish between small and large flows, besides having to track the ongoing sizes of all flows. Though these solutions do improve the response times of small flows (with negligible affect on the response times of large flows), they are not scalable with increasing traffic. In this context, we propose a new spike-detecting AQM that exploits TCP property in detecting large 'spikes', and hence large flows, from which packets are dropped, and importantly, only at times of congestion. We discuss two such AQM policies using spike-detection for improving the performance of small flows: one that drops packets deterministically, and other that drops packets randomly. We show, using simulations, by comparing a number of metrics, that these new policies, in particular the one that drops packets randomly, out-performs not only the traditional drop-tail buffer with FCFS server, but also the RED policy as well as a size-based scheduler (proposed specifically for improving the response time of small flows). The improvement in performance becomes more revealing in scenario where the router buffer is small (less than one-tenth of the bandwidth-delay-product).


The literature on the welfare costs of in‡ation universally assumes that the many-person household can be treated as a single economic agent. This paper explores what the heterogeneity of the agents in a household might imply for such welfare analyses. First, we show that allowing for a one-person or for a many-person transacting technology impacts the money demand function and, therefore, the welfare costs of in‡ation. Second, more importantly, we derive su¢ cient conditions under which welfare assessments which depart directly from the knowledge of the money demand function (as in Lucas (2000)) are robust (invariant) under the number of persons considered in the household. Third, we show that Bailey's (1956) partial-equilibrium measure of the welfare costs of in‡ation can be obtained as a …rst-order approximation of the general-equilibrium welfare measure derived in this paper using a many-person transacting technology.


This paper proposes solutions to the relative lack of efficiency of walking trajectories generated online. Extensions of a previously introduced Linear Model Predictive Control law are proposed that allow to improve the walking performance through variation of the height of the CoM and toe flexion. Extensive simulations serve to demonstrate the capacity of the improved scheme to generate significantly more efficient walking motions.


Jonathan Shapiro, better known as Zapiro, is South Africa's most influential and widely published political cartoonist. His work is featured in several national daily and weekly newspapers. His cartoons have also appeared in international publications and he or his work has been featured in everything from highbrow newspapers to the front page of real estate advertisement magazines. A member of the anti-apartheid movement in the 1980s, he exhibits a bias toward a progressive, Left-liberal conception of what political life ought to be that sits uncomfortably with the increasingly Africanist tonality pulsating through the veins of South African political life. His work touches upon the history of oppression, the reactions of those in and now out of power, and, in more recent years, on the issues that arise from the "underbelly" of the liberation movement. He has brutally caricatured the foibles of liberation movements leaders, be it their AIDS denial, individuals' cases of corruption, or the hypocrisy of ethnic or racial mobilization in the context of the new, non-racial dispensation. His particular wrath is reserved for African National Congress (ANC) figures who have, in his view, defiled the principles of the liberation movement. In the last two years, Zapiro has busied himself with a series of cartoons about the trials and tribulations of the former deputy president and leader of the ANC, Jacob Zuma.


The Books of Esther applies form-critical tools to the Septuagint and non-Septuagint ('Lucianic') Greek texts of Esther. Differences in vocabulary, content and style show that the Greek books of Esther are independent traditions stemming from, and aimed at, two distinct religious communities. The 'Lucianic' version appears more personal, orthodox, nationalistic and Jewish; its audience is Palestinian and it intends to foster communal identity. The Septuagint version breathes a more matter-of-fact, reportorial, Hellenistic style, with an eye to tolerance of heretics and audience entertainment. The Masoretic version became canonized because it is the most multivalent of the Esthers, appealing to both religious and secular elements of Judaism.


We present a rule-based approach combined with traditional geometric modelling techniques that allows easy generation of many branching objects including flowers, bushes, trees, and even nonbotanical objects. A set of components describing structural and geometrical elements of plants maps to a graph that forms the description of a specific plant and generates the geometry. Users get immediate feedback on what they've created-geometrical parameters, tropisms, and free-form deformations can control the overall shape of a plant. We demonstrate that our method handles the complexity of most real plants.


A novel method for detecting edges and lines simultaneously and automatically is proposed. This method, based on phase congruency and tensor voting (hence PCTV), makes use of the properties of how edges and lines are built from the Fourier decomposition of an image, and how the primary visual cortex responds to them, instead of making assumptions on the intensity profiles of the regions near a feature. Experiments showed that the detection results were more consistent to the "ground truth" manually drawn by humans. For detecting edges, this method is superior to three commonly used detectors in that it reduces the production of false detections.


This paper mainly focuses on the effect of feature selection method on the performance of Traditional Focused Crawler (TFC) and Accelerated Focused Crawler (AFC). Information retrieval methods like querying a search engine, usage of web catalog and browsing may not satisfy the information needs of all the users. When information requirement is about a specific topic, focused crawlers will complement these methods. The aim of these crawlers is to download web pages that are highly relevant to the pre-defined topic. Naive Bayesian classifier is used to guide the crawlers by rating the web page before it is downloaded. For this analysis topics to be crawled are represented using a set of relevant documents. The features used by Bayesian Classifier in construction of the model are collected from the document corpus using Document Frequency and Information Gain feature selection methods. Performance of both the crawlers is evaluated when 500 features are selected using Document Frequency and Information Gain feature selection methods. Accelerated Focused Crawler's performance is evaluated for varied number of features gathered using both the feature selection methods. Target pages recall and Target description recall are used in evaluating the crawlers.


In the context of wide regional disparities emerging in the process of development, the banks have an additional responsibility in India. That responsibility is to enter the under developed regions and to mobilize and channelize resources into local economic activities such that local development is promoted. In this context and using simple descriptive statistics method, this study analyzes the regional disparities in the background and existence of the role of 'social banking'. The study observes that the regional disparity in terms of per capita net district domestic product exists in spite of the increasing credit distributions to all areas. Surprisingly, this happens even with the consideration of usual socio-economic factors. Therefore, it feels that the future research may explore more on the 'social banking' addressing regional disparities issues.