PURPOSE
The aim of the study was to determine the relationships between time of running over a 15-25 m section of a 30-meter run along a straight line and changes in the angle and angular velocity observed in ankle, knee and hip joints. Therefore, the authors attempted to answer the question of whether a technique of lower limbs movement during the phase of sprint maximum velocity significantly correlates with the time of running over this section.

METHODS
A group of 14 young people from the Lower Silesia Voivodeship Team participated in the experiment. A Fusion Smart Speed System was employed for running time measurements. The kinematic data were recorded using Noraxon MyoMotion system.

RESULTS
There were observed statistically significant relationships between sprint time over a section from 15 to 25 m and left hip rotation (positive) and between this time and left and right ankle joint dorsi-plantar flexion (negative).

CONCLUSIONS
During the maximum velocity phase of a 30 m sprint, the effect of dorsi-plantar flexion performed in the whole range of motion was found to be beneficial. This can be attributed to the use of elastic energy released in the stride cycle. Further, hip rotation should be minimized, which makes the stride aligned more along a line of running (a straight line) instead of from side to side.


Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency is the most frequent inborn error of metabolism, and accounts for 90–95% of CAH cases. The affected enzyme, P450C21, is encoded by the CYP21A2 gene, located together with a 98% nucleotide sequence identity CYP21A1P pseudogene, on chromosome 6p21.3. Even though most patients carry CYP21A1P-derived mutations, an increasing number of novel and rare mutations in disease causing alleles were found in the last years. In the present work, we describe five CYP21A2 novel mutations, p.R132C, p.149C, p.M283V, p.E431K and a frameshift g.2511_2512delGG, in four non-classical and one salt wasting patients from Argentina. All novel point mutations are located in CYP21 protein residues that are conserved throughout mammalian species, and none of them were found in control individuals. The putative pathogenic mechanisms of the novel variants were analyzed in silico. A three-dimensional CYP21 structure was generated by homology modeling and the protein design algorithm FoldX was used to calculate changes in stability of CYP21A2 protein. Our analysis revealed changes in protein stability or in the surface charge of the mutant enzymes, which could be related to the clinical manifestation found in patients.


With nothing to do since Sunday, a bored Thelma decides on Wednesday that she will make herself queen. While her imperial duties at first amuse her, the burden of picking the royal pets, locating a royal palace, and hiring the royal help soon give her a royal headache, prompting her to abdicate the throne in favor of boredom. The prose in this first writing effort from Swiatkowska is as subdued as the languid Thelma, accompanying her search for excitement at a pace that captures her innate ennui; ultimately, though, this is largely a scenario rather than a plot, so Thelma's boredom is rather overeffectively conveyed. Depicted here with the wide-eyed, formal otherworldliness that has hallmarked Swiatkowska's previous work as an illustrator, Thelma and her entourage make visually stunning subjects. The paint-and-pencil renderings skillfully employ a muted palette with punches of red, yellow, and blue to capture this surreal-feeling, lackadaisical world; the art also provides humor, as Swiatkowska slyly tucks ever more animals into each scene (the royal staff and the royal pets all trying to sleep in one bed is particularly charming), adding a level of accessibility to the story. The combination of these lighthearted moments with the eerie adultness of the children reads more like an album of daguerreotypes staged by Wes Anderson on a rainy day at the family dacha than a candidate for storytime. Yet, for those children—or perhaps those parents—looking for offbeat fare to relieve their own boredom, this sophisticated exercise in stylization may prove just the ticket. AA


Straightforward techniques for spatial domain digital video editing (DVE) of compressed video via decompression and recompression are computationally expensive. In this paper, a novel algorithm was proposed for mirror-image special effect editing in compressed video without full frame decompression and motion estimation. The results show that with the reducing of computational complexity, the quality of edited video in compressed domain is still close to the quality of the edited video in uncompressed domain at the same bit rate.


Cytosolic ABA Receptor Kinases (CARKs) play a pivotal role in abscisic acid (ABA)-dependent pathway in response to dehydration, but their regulatory mechanism in ABA signaling remains unexplored. In this study, we showed that CARK4/5 of CARK family physically interacted with ABA receptors (RCARs/PYR1/PYLs), including RCAR3, RCAR11~RCAR14, while CARK2/7/11 only interacted with RCAR11~RCAR14, but not RCAR3. It indicates that the members in CARK family function redundantly and differentially in ABA signaling. RCAR12 can form heterodimer with RCAR3 in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, the members of CARK family can form homo- or heterodimer in a kinase activity dependent manner. ITC (isothermal titration calorimetry) analysis demonstrated that the phosphorylation of RCAR12 by CARK1 enhanced the ABA binding affinity. The phosphor-mimic RCAR12T105D significantly displayed ABA-induced inhibition of the phosphatase ABI1 (ABA insensitive 1) activity, leading to up-regulation of ABA-responsive genes RD29A and RD29B in cark157:RCAR12T105D transgenic plants, which exhibited ABA hypersensitive phenotype. The transcription factor ABI5 (ABA insensitive 5) activates the transcriptions of CARK1 and CARK3 by binding to ABRE elements of their promoters. Collectively, our data imply that the dimeric CARKs phosphorylate homo- or heterodimer ABA receptors, leading to monomerization for triggering ABA responses in Arabidopsis.


Humans can recognize different types of written languages by their grammars and vocabularies. However, computers see everything as numbers. We present a computational algorithm for machine classification of written languages using the method of vector quantization. For a language document, each word is converted to a sequence of numbers and forms as a vector of numerical values according to its characters. This collection of vectors is then represented by a codebook that contains a number of template vectors for classification. The proposed method is more effective for machine learning than the n-gram based method, which has been widely used for written language identification. Experimental results of classifying a set of five closely roman-typed scripts show the promising application of the proposed method.


Cyclohexanespiro-5'-hydantoin monohydrate, C8H12N2O2.H2O, has a chair-shaped cyclohexane ring with endocyclic torsion-angle magnitudes in the range 54.4 (2)-56.3 (2) degrees. All potential hydrogen-bond donors are involved in intermolecular hydrogen bonding, with lengths in the range 2.760 (2)-2.908 (2) A. In its indolyl adduct, 2-(3-indolyl)cyclohexanespiro-5'-hydantoin monohydrate, C16H17N3O2.H2O, the cyclohexane moiety adopts a chair conformation with the indolyl substituent in an equatorial position. The N-H portion of the hydantoin ring is cis to indolyl, while the C=O of the hydantoin is trans. Endocyclic torsion-angle magnitudes of the cyclohexane ring are in the range 54.2 (2)-56.7 (2) degrees. All potential hydrogen-bond donors are involved in intermolecular hydrogen bonds, with lengths 2.828 (2)-3.187 (2) A.


A small liberal arts college in the process of developing the curricular framework for a new ESL program with an intensive element provides the setting for this qualitative study. Practicing a research-conscious perspective, the extent to which the content-based approach to English language instruction is pedagogically appropriate for a small program housed at a liberal arts college is discussed. After examining both the theoretical underpinnings of the contentbased approach and the application of content-based instruction in selected college settings, the adoption of a content-based approach for a small program focused on preparing non-native speakers of English for continued academic study at the university level is considered. Throughout the discussion, this study also seeks to emphasize the importance of thoughtful consideration of curricular decisions from a balanced perspective of theory and practice.


This paper describes and analyzes the changing distribution across hospitals in the U.S. of total hip replacement surgery (THR) for the period 1980-1987. THR is one of the most costly single procedures contributing to health care expenses. Also, the use of THR exhibits a particularly high degree of geographic variation. Recent research pointed to shifts in demand as one plausible economic explanation for increasing use of THR. This paper questions whether shifts in supply may have been large enough to explain changes in patient mix and the relationship of patient mix to the number of procedures performed at a particular hospital. In addition, the relationship between total use of THR and the local availability of orthopaedic surgeons as well as the average allowable Medicare fee for standardized physician services is analyzed. These relationships might yield evidence to support a scenario of induced demand beyond the optimum for patients' welfare, or evidence of supply increase within a disequilibrium scenario. This study, using data for all THR patients in a large sample of hospitals, tends to reject the formulation of a market with independent supply and demand shifts where the supply shifts were the dominant forces. Hospitals with a larger number of THRs performed did not see a higher percentage of older, sicker, and lower income patients. It was more likely that demand shifts generated increases in capacity for surgical services. Moreover, there was little evidence for a persistent disequilibrium and only weak evidence for inducement. Also, we found little evidence that hospitals responded to financial incentives inherent in the Medicare payment system after 1983 to select among THR candidates in favour of those with below average expected cost. We did observe increased concentration over time of THR procedures in facilities with high volume--suggesting plausible demand shifts towards hospitals with a priori quality and cost advantages or who obtained those advantages with a high volume of patients.


In this paper, a multiresidue method for the simultaneous target analysis of 74 pesticides and metabolites in traditional Chinese herbal medicines (TCHMs) was developed using accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) coupled with HPLC/MS/MS. Pesticide residues were extracted from the different samples using ASE, then purified by gel permeation chromatography and graphitized carbon black/primary, secondary amine SPE. Gradient elution was used in conjunction with positive mode electrospray ionization MS/MS to detect 74 pesticides and metabolites from Cortex Cinnamomi, Flos Carthami, Folium Ginkgo, Herba Pogostemonis, Radix Ginseng, and Semen Ginkgo using a single chromatographic run. The analytical performance was demonstrated by the analysis of extracts spiked at three concentration levels ranging from 0.005 to 0.125 mg/kg for each pesticide and metabolite. In general, recoveries ranging from 70 to 110%, with RSDs better than 15%, were obtained. The recovery and repeatability data were in good accordance with European Union guidelines for pesticide residue analysis. The LOD for most of the targeted pesticides and metabolites tested was below 0.01 mg/kg.


Important facilities constructed during last decades of 20th century are near completion of design life. For extending their service life or to evaluate these for new demands (loads), assessment of strength of concrete in existing structure becomes necessary, a task generally performed with non-destructive tests (NDT); ultrasonic pulse velocity and rebound hammer being most commonly executed. Compressive strength is estimated using empirical expressions relating NDT to partially destructive tests (PDT) such as core test. For development of structure-specific expressions, results of adequate number (depending on variability and desired confidence level) of PDT are essential but these might not be available due to operational constraints. Correlation expressions from literature could be used in such cases but having been developed for different ingredients, curing regimes, and environmental exposure conditions, there would be associated uncertainties. A practical method for estimation of these uncertainties is not readily available in literature. This article proposes the statistical approach of re-sampling for quantifying uncertainty of indirect strength estimates using expressions from literature. Parametric (probability distribution) and nonparametric (bootstrap) tools are employed and demonstrated with a case study from India. Both parametric and nonparametric approaches could capture across-member variability whereas overall uncertainty incorporation as well as repeatability was better in nonparametric approach. Parametric approach is traditionally used and well accepted by practitioners in contrast to nonparametric methods, which have certain advantages. The detailed methodology enumerated in the article would be very useful for practitioners across the world.


Puréed foods are an important source of nutrients for those who have problems chewing or swallowing. A puréed food is any item that has been processed into a smooth and uniform texture and therefore does not require chewing. Purées can be made from most foods and this guide provides some tips for fast and easy to prepare puréed foods. This 4-page fact sheet covers the preparation of puréed foods from canned vegetables and fruits; beans, peas, and lentils; and mixed dishes. It also provides a useful example meal plan. Written by Wendy J. Dahl, and published by the Food Science and Human Nutrition Department, March 2016.
FSHN16-1/FS277: Puréed Foods: A Guide to Quick Meals (ufl.edu)


Length changes in the ligaments of human lumbar spine motion segments were investigated in order to find conditions under which unusual stress or stress reduction is found in the longitudinal ligaments and facet joint capsules. Flexibility measurements were performed under load. Increasing load and height reduction in the motion segment increases the flexibility. The anterior and posterior longitudinal ligament normally operate in the elastic part of their stress-strain curve. Destruction of the intervertebral disc leads to a dislocation of the centers of rotation in the motion segment. Two types of facet joint capsules were observed. Height reduction in the motion segment leads to abnormal strains in one type sooner than in the other, which can be normalized by slight flexion. Injection of a silicone compound into the disc normalizes many of the changes in the motion segment due to height reduction.


This study proposes an optimal design of the orders of the discrete fractional Fourier transforms (DFrFTs) and construct an overcomplete transform using the DFrFTs with these orders for performing the sparse representations. The design problem is formulated as an optimisation problem with an L
 1
-norm non-convex objective function. To avoid all the orders of the DFrFTs to be the same, the exclusive OR of two constraints are imposed. The constrained optimisation problem is further reformulated to an optimal frequency sampling problem. A method based on solving the roots of a set of harmonic functions is employed for finding the optimal sampling frequencies. As the designed overcomplete transform can exploit the physical meanings of the signals in terms of representing the signals as the sums of the components in the time-frequency plane, the designed overcomplete transform can be applied to many applications.


BACKGROUND
There is increasing evidence that oxidative stress may play a role in the pathophysiology of endometriosis. Serum paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) is a high-density lipoprotein (HDL) associated enzyme that prevents oxidative modification of low-density lipoprotein (LDL). The aims of the study were to (i) compare the serum PON-1 activity in women with endometriosis versus controls and (ii) assess whether PON-1 activity can be used as a diagnostic test for endometriosis.

METHODS
A total of 87 women who underwent laparoscopy or laparotomy were divided into groups by visual diagnosis at surgery: control patients (n = 40) with no pathologic findings; endometriosis sufferers with minimal to mild (n = 24) and moderate to severe (n = 23) stage. Serum PON-1 activity was measured spectrophotometrically. Lipid hydroperoxide (LOOH) levels were measured by iodometric assay. Serum triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), HDL and LDL levels were also determined.

RESULTS
PON-1 activity was significantly lower whereas LOOH levels were significantly higher in women with moderate to severe endometriosis than in women with minimal to mild endometriosis and controls, and in women with minimal to mild endometriosis compared with control groups (P < 0.0001, for all). A significant negative correlation was found between PON-1 activity and stage of the disease (r=-0.74, P < 0.0001). PON-1 activity and HDL levels were decreased whereas LOOH, TG, TC and LDL levels increased in all women with endometriosis versus controls (all P < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS
Reduced serum PON-1 activity and increased LOOH might contribute to the increased susceptibility for the development of atherosclerosis. PON-1 activity can be used as a diagnostic test to detect endometriosis.


Introduction: Thoracocentesis and cytological examination with cell blocks are considered optimal for malignant pleural effusion (MPE) diagnosis. No study has separately evaluating efficacy of these two methods compared with thoracoscopic pleural biopsy. Objectives: To compare diagnostic efficacy of thoracocentesis with cytological examination of pleural fluid intensified by cell blocks with surgical thoracoscopic pleural biopsy and histological examination of specimen. To reduce diagnostic time. Methods: Retrospective review of 115 MPE patients in Western Galilee Hospital from 2001-2011. MPE diagnosis was established by thoracocentesis, cytological examination of fluid with cell blocks. Thoracoscopy, pleural biopsy and histological examination were done in cases of false negative or inconclusive cytology. Results: Of 115 patients 60 were male, 55 female; mean age 67.8y. Cytological examination of pleural fluid was positive in 85.7% of 28 breast carcinoma cases, 79.5% of 39 bronchogenic carcinomas, 61.9% of 21 other malignancies. Use of cell blocks increased positive results in 3-12%. Mesothelioma (27 cases) cytological results were inconclusive. Thoracoscopy was performed in 64 patients. Histological diagnosis was done in 100 %. Mean duration of diagnostic process was 12.58 days in 85 patients., but longer in others due to repeated thoracocentesis, again with false negative results. Conclusions: Cytological examination of pleural fluid in MPE patients was diagnostically effective (61.9-85.7%) except for mesothelioma. Cell blocks increased positive results. Thoracoscopy with pleural biopsy in cases of negative or inconclusive cytological results was very effective (100%).


In humans, chimerisms (Chs) can occur naturally or be induced through artificial means. Feto-maternal Chs are natural and result from the spontaneous trafficking of hematopoietic or other types of cells across the placenta during pregnancy. These Chs can be transient or persist for many years and even decades. Mixed hematopoietic Chs (MHChs) can also be artificially induced, and they might have profound effects on the modulation of the immune system, which can be used for inducing donor-specific tolerance in recipients of allogeneic organ transplantation. Nonetheless, the main obstacle for the establishment of such Chs is that they require the engraftment of donor hematopoietic cells, which at present can only be accomplished using relatively toxic regimens that preclude its widespread use and currently restricts its application to some special patients, in which both a solid organ (e.g. a renal allograft) and a marrow transplantation are necessary. However, it is likely that less toxic strategies are developed that can be clinically applicable in the next decade to induce tolerance in organ transplantation. A variant of Chs is the molecular Chs, in which a proportion of the hematopoietic cells would be transduced to express a transgene (e.g. encoding a therapeutic protein, an auto-antigen, or an allergen), so that specific tolerance to these molecules is induced. This might have therapeutic applications in fields such as replacement and genetic therapies, autoimmune diseases, or allergy.


Tourism has emerged as the new promoter of economic and social development in various parts of the world. In the Pantanal of Mato Grosso do Sul, particularly in the city of Corumba, the reality is not different. To this end, the present study we conducted a survey of bibliographical and descriptive exploratory qualitative survey with primary and secondary information, through the application of mixed structured questionnaires to 11 managers of the local tourism trade in order to understand what the economic impacts of tourism in the city. Subsequently, the perceived variables were identified and classified according to the SWOT analysis in weaknesses, strengths, opportunities and threats. The results allowed to infer that the activity had numerous negative factors related to the activity, and some of these modifiable, either from members of private agents in the chain, either from local public policies directed activity, and other immutable, for mainly natural and geographical factors. However, the strengths and opportunities not yet exploited by industry represent alternatives to the development of the sector that can still be explored in order to promote the growth of the chain as a whole and, consequently, the local socioeconomic development. Keywords: Corumba; Local development; SWOT.


The doping of ZnO has attracted lots of attention because it is an important way to tune the properties of ZnO. Post-doping after growth is one of the efficient strategies. Here, we report a unique approach to successfully dope the single crystalline ZnO with Ag by the laser-induced method, which can effectively further post-treat grown samples. Magnetron sputtering was used to coat the Ag film with a thickness of about 50 nm on the single crystalline ZnO. Neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd: YAG) laser was chosen to irradiate the Ag-capped ZnO samples, followed by annealing at 700℃ for two hours to form ZnO:Ag. The 3D information of the elemental distribution of Ag in ZnO was obtained through time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS). TOF-SIMS and core-level X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) demonstrated that the Ag impurities could be effectively doped into single crystalline ZnO samples as deep as several hundred nanometers. Obvious broadening of core level XPS profiles of Ag from the surface to depths of hundred nms was observed, indicating the variance of chemical state changes in laser-induced Ag-doped ZnO. Interesting features of electronic mixing states were detected in the valence band XPS of ZnO: Ag, suggesting the strong coupling or interaction of Ag and ZnO in the sample rather than their simple mixture. The Ag-doped ZnO also showed a narrower bandgap and a decrease in thermal diffusion coefficient compared to the pure ZnO, which would be beneficial to thermoelectric performance.


We present a comprehensive study for a new three-branch widely tunable semiconductor laser based on a self-imaging, lossless multi-mode interference (MMI) coupler. We have developed a general theoretical framework that is applicable to all types of interferometric lasers. Our analysis showed that the three-branch laser offers high side-mode suppression ratios (SMSRs) while maintaining a wide tuning range and a low threshold modal gain of the lasing mode. We also present the design rules for tuning over the dense-wavelength division multiplexing grid over the C-band.


Abstract The aim of the article is to evaluate the market reaction to the change of listing venue of companies moving from the alternative market to the regulated market of the Warsaw Stock Exchange. To do so, we investigated 71 switches, and their effect on market returns and liquidity. While the transfer itself creates a negative market reaction, the announcement of the transfer of a company and the institutional confirmation by the supervision of the company's readiness for this transfer resulting from the approval of the prospectus creates positive market reactions. As a result of the transfer of companies there is an improvement in the liquidity of the shares. The empirical findings of the study could assist managers and investors in understanding the impact of stock exchange migration on returns and the liquidity of shares in the shorter and longer term.


We have used a static write-read tester to study the reading and writing of bit patterns on arrays of square bits cut with a focused ion beam into granular perpendicular recording media. We have written square-wave bit patterns on arrays of magnetically isolated islands with periods between 80-248 nm, with the recording linear density matched to this pattern period. These measurements clearly reveal the onset of single domain behavior of the islands for periods <130 nm. We report on variations of read-back signals with this period for bits written in-phase and out-of-phase with the patterning (where bits are written in the center of the islands and lines, respectively). We also present results and analysis on the effect of patterning and phase on the transition position jitter.


During the last decades, agricultural land-uses in West Africa were marked by dramatic shifts in the coverage of individual crops. Nowadays, cashew (Anacardium occidentale L.) is one of the most export-oriented horticulture crops, notably in Guinea-Bissau. Relying heavily on agriculture to increase their income, developing countries have been following a strong trend of moving on from traditional farming systems toward commercial production. Emerging infectious diseases, driven either by adaptation to local conditions or inadvertent importation of plant pathogens, are able to cause tremendous cashew production losses, with economic and social impact of which, in developing countries is often underestimated. Presently, plant genomics with metagenomics as an emergent tool, presents an enormous potential to better characterize diseases by providing extensive knowledge on plant pathogens at a large scale. In this perspective, we address metagenomics as a promising genomic tool to identify cashew fungal associated diseases as well as to discriminate the causal pathogens, aiming at obtaining tools to help design effective strategies for disease control and thus promote the sustainable production of cashew in West African Region.


The popularity of direct laser writing as a technique capable of producing truly three-dimensional structures at the microscale is remarkable. However, examples of resists imparting adaptable functionality onto microstructures are still scarce. Herein, we describe multi-material boxing ring microstructures with locally visible light-responsive mechanical properties from an anthracene dimer-based photoresist. Utilizing microstructures created from this material is a powerful avenue for changing the mechanics of a well-defined microenvironment. A higher laser exposure per unit of time cleaves more anthracene dimer during the writing process which is then available for further photochemistry. We find that not only the viscoelastic properties but also the photo-responsiveness of these microstructures is drastically impacted by the parameters they were written with. Realizing that the laser irradiation during the direct laser writing process can be used to trigger secondary chemistry opens the door to an entirely new approach to designing photoresists.


Feltri et al. (2001)(this issue) succeed in disrupting beta 1 integrin specifically in Schwann cells, and in so doing, demonstrate that it is required for normal myelination. Their results reveal that signaling by an extracellular matrix receptor plays a key role in the differentiation of myelinating Schwann cells.


The high penetration level of distributed generation (DG) provides numerous potential
environmental benefits, such as high reliability, efficiency, and low carbon emissions.
However, the effective detection of islanding and rapid DG disconnection is essential
to prevent safety problems and equipment damage caused by the island mode
operations of DGs. The common islanding protection technology is based on passive
techniques that do not perturb the system but have large nondetection zones.
Therefore, the first part of this thesis attempts to develop a simple and effective
passive islanding detection method with reference to a probabilistic neural networkbased
classifier, as well as utilizes the features extracted from three-phase voltages
seen at the DG terminal. This approach enables initial features to be obtained using
the phase-space technique. This technique analyzes the time series in a higher
dimensional space, revealing several hidden features of the original signal.
Meanwhile, the second part of the thesis focuses on the development of an optimal
load shedding scheme after the system experiences an unintentional islanding state to
prevent system collapse due to load-generation mismatch and voltage instability
encountered in the islanded part of the system. To handle this optimization problem, a
constraint multiobjective function that considers the linear static voltage stability
margin and amount of load curtailment was formulated. A novel heuristic
optimization technique based on the backtracking search algorithm (BSA) was
subsequently proposed as an optimization tool for determining the optimum load
shedding based on the proposed objective function. Several test systems, including a
radial distribution system with two DG units and the Institute of Electrical and
Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 33-bus radial distribution system with four DG units,
were utilized to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed islanding detection method
and the optimal load shedding scheme. The effectiveness of the proposed islanding
detection method was verified by comparing its results with the conventional wavelet
transform (WT)-based technique through intensive simulations conducted with the
DIgSILENT Power Factory® software. The assessment indices, namely, the mean
absolute percentage error (MAPE), mean absolute error (MAE), and root mean square
error (RMSE), obtained a 0% error rate for the proposed method when applied to the
IEEE 33-bus radial distribution system with four DG units. Meanwhile, the MAPE,
MAE, and RMSE obtained error rates of 0.1482%, 0.2752%, and 5.055%, respectively,
for the WT-based technique when applied to the IEEE 33-bus radial distribution
system with four DG units. These indices show that the proposed islanding detection
method is robust and capable of sensing the difference between the islanding
condition and other system disturbances. Meanwhile, the performance of the proposed
load shedding scheme was evaluated through an extensive test conducted on the IEEE
33-bus system considering several scenarios such as load shedding under various
operating points and at various islands using the MATLAB® software. Moreover, the
effectiveness of the proposed scheme was validated by comparing its results with
those obtained using the genetic algorithm (GA). The optimization results indicate that
the proposed BSA technique is more effective in determining the optimal amount of
load to be shed in any islanded system compared with GA.


Being the largest and most expansive organelle in the cell, the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) carries diverse key functions from protein and lipid synthesis, protein folding and modification, transport, calcium storage, to organelle interactions1-6. The shaping mechanism of this complex, membrane-bounded organelle is thus of fundamental significance7-21. Using super-resolution microscopy, we uncover the coexistence of two distinct, well-defined forms of ER tubules in the mammalian cell. Whereas an ultrathin form, R1, is consistently covered by the membrane curvature-promoting protein Rtn4, in the second form, R2, Rtn4 curiously appears as two parallel lines at a conserved separation of ~105 nm over long ranges. The two tubule forms together account for ~90% of the total tubule lengths, with either one being dominant in different cell types. The R1-R2 dichotomy and the final tubule geometry are both co-regulated by Rtn4 and the ER sheet-maintaining protein Climp63, which respectively define the edge curvature and lumen height of the R2 tubules to generate a ribbon-like structure of well-defined width. The R1 and R2 tubules undergo active remodeling in the cell as they differently accommodate proteins, with the former effectively excluding ER-luminal proteins and ER-membrane proteins with large intraluminal domains. We thus unveil a dynamic ER-tubule structural dichotomy with intriguing functional implications.


This paper demonstrates that increased optimism about future productivity can generate an immediate economic expansion in a neoclassical model with vintage capital and variable capacity utilization. Previous research has documented that standard neoclassical models cannot generate a simultaneous increase in consumption, investment, and hours in response to news shocks, and that optimism in these models tends to reduce investment and hours. When technology is vintage specific, however, expectations of higher future productivity raise the demand for new vintages of capital relative to installed capital. Capital depreciates faster when utilization is high, but this depreciation only affects installed capital. The cost of high depreciation therefore falls when the value of installed capital falls. It is demonstrated here that with standard parameter values, more optimism raises utilization, consumption, investment, hours, and output.


Motion estimation is one of the main subjects in computer vision. Many methods developed to compute motion make use of the optical flow hypothesis. These methods usually fail to capture motion of objects with intensity evolution. We propose a new approach to solve the motion computation problem with a different type of constancy hypothesis. Because we are mainly interested in deformable moving structures, we postulate that such a structure, within a temporal image sequence, is associated with a constant volume or a constant total intensity over time. We call this postulate the volume conservation hypothesis. Results are displayed for clouds motion and deformation on meteorological satellites images.


In Reply. —Drs Bowman and Konen raise an important concern about compliance and also provide additional evidence of the ineffectiveness of educational programs in changing human behavior. Patient compliance may well be a greater barrier to improving diabetes status than physician compliance. The latter may be more tractable, however. In addition, the ethical considerations are different. As a society we have some obligation to provide proven remedies. Whether individual citizens have an obligation to accept them is more debatable. As I noted, even with a rigorous effort Norman et al 1 were able to obtain only a 75% compliance rate. A reasonable national compliance norm for a given test or treatment might prove to be only 60%. But if an individual plan's compliance rate was only 30%, that would be immensely valuable information for patients and physicians. Without required reporting, neither would be aware that care was substandard. Dr Clemenson


Cloud computing systems fundamentally provide access to large pools of data and computational resources through a variety of interfaces similar in spirit to existing grid and HPC resource management and programming systems.  These types of systems offer a new programming target for scalable application developers and have gained popularity over the past few years.  However, most cloud computing systems in operation today are proprietary, rely upon infrastructure that is invisible to the research community, or are not explicitly designed to be instrumented and modified by systems researchers. In this work, we present Eucalyptus -- an open-source software framework for cloud computing that implements what is commonly referred to as Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS); systems that give users the ability to run and control entire virtual machine instances deployed across a variety physical resources. We outline the basic principles of the Eucalyptus design, detail important operational aspects of the system, and discuss architectural trade-offs that we have made in order to allow Eucalyptus to be portable, modular and simple to use on infrastructure commonly found within academic settings.  Finally, we provide evidence that Eucalyptus enables users familiar with existing Grid and HPC systems to explore new cloud computing functionality while maintaining access to existing, familiar application development software and Grid middle-ware.


We prove a weak-type (1,1) inequality involving conditioned versions of square functions for martingales in noncommutative L p -spaces associated with finite von Neumann algebras. As application, we determine the optimal orders for the best constants in the noncommutative Burkholder/Rosenthal inequalities from [Ann. Probab. 31 (2003) 948-995]. We also discuss BMO-norms of sums of noncommuting order-independent operators.


Semiconductor quantum dots (QDs), also referred to as nanocrystals, that confine optically excited electron-hole pairs in all three space dimensions are also of considerable interest in science and engineering. Tailored patterning of QDs in a thick polymer matrix is of great interest for photonic and biomedical applications. For example, using enhanced third-order nonlinear optical responses of QDs [1], one expects optical multi-stability action from periodic QDs structures embedded in a polymer film [2]. In this work we report on the nonlinear optical properties of semiconductor CdSe QDs dispersed in an optically transparent polymer film. Z-scan and degenerate multiwave mixing (DMWM) measurements were performed to obtain effective nonlinear optical susceptablilities of the film at a wavelength of 532nm for various concentrations of CdSe QDs. It was found that the film exhibited 5th- and 7th-order nonlinearities. We also observed nonlinear Bragg diffraction from holographically patterned [3] CdSe QD-polymer nanocomposite films that exhibited the diffraction efficiency near 100% [4].


The kind of diseases affecting Japanese people and the causes of death in Japan have changed a great deal in the last several decades due to various factors, most notably the advancement of medical technology and changes in life style. The number of people who die from life style diseases such as cancer, which are chronic and possibly need long-term hospitalization, increases every year. In the 1970s the hospice philosophy was introduced to Japan from the West. It encourages patients and their families to affirm life and to regard dying as a normal process, and offers a support system to help patients live as actively as possible and sustain a sense of selfhood, autonomy, and dignity until they die. In practice, however, the dying process is still not regarded as normal in contemporary Japan and many patients fail to die in the way proposed by the hospice philosophy. There is also disagreement between the patients and the medical professionals regarding their respective idea of good death. Hospices and PCUs, which were initially developed in order to provide humane care, have become places which provide a new form of institutionalized death, and consequently constrain the patients' dying patterns. In this thesis, I investigate the above issues from the perspectives of the anthropology and the ethnography of Japan. I demonstrate how the framework of van Gennep's rites of passage and Turner's concept of liminality can be used to analyze the current situation in Japanese hospice settings. I also perform an ethnographic analysis of Japanese attitudes towards health, illness, and death in order to illustrate the reasons why some Japanese patients fail to die a good death as proposed by the hospice philosophy.


This article examines causal sibling spillover effects among students from different family backgrounds in elementary and middle school. Family backgrounds are captured by race, household structure, mothers' educational attainment, and school poverty. Exploiting discontinuities in school starting age created by North Carolina school-entry laws, we adopt a quasi-experimental approach and compare test scores of public school students whose older siblings were born shortly before and after the school-entry cutoff date. We find that individuals whose older siblings were born shortly after the school-entry cutoff date have significantly higher test scores in middle school and that this positive spillover effect is particularly strong in disadvantaged families. We estimate that the spillover effect accounts for approximately one-third of observed statistical associations in test scores between siblings, and the magnitude is much larger for disadvantaged families. Our results suggest that spillover effects from older to younger siblings may lead to greater divergence in academic outcomes and economic inequality between families.


This article reports on the latest data provided by the 2014 excavation campaign at the Early Historic urban site of Bīr-koṭ-ghwaṇḍai, Swat. The campaign, which followed an intensive 3-year excavation carried out inside the SW quarter of the ancient town, focused on the SW external area, and revealed a complex sequence of constructions, collapses and abandonment of the external defenses of the site. The new data are compared with others from previous excavation campaigns in the same site.


Occurrence of gerniol and geranyl acetate as major chemical constituents were reported in the essential oil of Cymbopogon commutauts (Steud.) Stapf. A selectant having H"80% total geraniol and coded as RRL (J) CC1 has been studied by way of quantifying growth response coefficient values of morpho-economic character, which was 1.0 signifying its good adaptability under subtropical environment. Leaf adaptation has been quantified as phyllochron which exhibited 519.6 and 775.6 degree-days for production of single mature leaf during first and second harvests, respectively. Floral adaptation was quantified as photoperiod response coefficient b=412 (degree-days/day-length). Based on two years pooled observation (2001-2002), regional crop models have been developed for prediction of essential oil production and its quality as total geraniol content (%) by using most-efficient energy indices viz., phenothermal index and thermo/photo ratio.


[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Core Sound is a shallow body of water in eastern North Carolina that carries the Core Sound National Seashore on its eastern shoulder and the Carteret County peninsula on its west. Between Beaufort, the mainland town that has prettied itself up over recent decades, and Cedar Island, a jumping-off point by ferry for the tourist destination of Ocracoke, a handful of small fishing villages comprise the area locally known as "Down East." For more than two centuries the people of Core Sound have lived off the bounty of the Sound and the sea. To negotiate Core Sound's notorious shoals and exploit its rich fisheries, they built shallow-draft vessels--versatile and adaptable boats that could be converted from haul boat to run boat and back again. In recent decades these boats could long-haul for trout from spring to fall, trawl for shrimp in summer, and kick clams or oysters in winter. When I talked with Core Sound residents, what I had often photographed as purely artistic compositions--boat, marsh, the Sound as landscape--became cultural documents loaded with significance and complexity. Primarily, of course, a boat is a physical object built and used for practical ends. A fisherman is rarely sentimental about his boat; it's useful for as long as it enables him to make a living. When the boat ceases to be useful, it can be sold or stripped of its assets and towed to a marsh where, in time, it "falls to pieces." Yet fishermen and their families also can be very tender about a boat. One woman recalled how her father would go to his boat every night after supper to wash it down, paint, mend net, or tinker with the engine. Her mother would smile as he went out and say, "He's got to go tell her goodnight." Another woman teared up when describing a boat her husband sold. "Selling a boat," she said, "is like a death in the family." Fishermen themselves size up a boat quickly and with an intrinsic aesthetic appreciation. Some boats are "pretty boats";" others are "ugly" or "awkward looking" if they don't seem to hit the mark. Harkers Island fishermen will often declare that their boats are "prettier" than Atlantic boats, and some Atlantic natives agree, although others offer a kind of backhanded compliment. "The Atlanticers, we weren't really concerned about how pretty [a boat] was," explained one boatbuilder. "We were more concerned about how it worked." Indeed, a workboat is not only a distinctive expression of the builder but also of a community. In addition to Atlantic and Harkers Island styles of workboats, there also is a Marshallberg style, each defined by a master craftsman at some point in their community history, although there would be variations within that community. "I can look at a boat and tell where it was built," the boatbuilder told me. "Most of the time, I can look at a boat and tell who built it." Thus, a Core Sound workboat is a link in the social and historical web of Down East communities. This small social web widens over time with the addition of new owners, mechanics, painters, carpenters, captains, and crew members from several other communities, across three generations, and it seems to be part of the common memory, recalled with surprising ease. From these photographs, residents could identify a boat by name, owner, builder, and the boat's namesake. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] When I ask fishermen how they know so many of the same stories about a particular boat, they often refer to the closeness with which they work on the water. Although fishermen are independent sorts, leaving before dawn and returning after dark (sometimes remaining away for several days), they are very aware of each other. …


Train tracing space interval model system is the base of train dynamic run space control system. Owing to the uncertainly factors in the train run process, the math model based on draught account is difficult to satisfy the need of the practical system. Combining the characteristics of train dynamic run in MAS, this paper proposes a new train section tracing space interval model-based on neural networks and fuzzy control, whose name is the multi-input fuzzy neural network model. At last the paper point out its practical meaning and also proves the designed system's practicability by the simulation.


In this paper we present forecasts of the contamination on different shapes of the primordial non-Gaussianity fnl parameter – detectable on future cosmic microwave background (CMB) high-resolution anisotropy maps – produced by unresolved extragalactic point sources at frequencies of cosmological interest (45–375 GHz). We consider two scenarios: an ideal (noiseless) mission and a possible future space-borne satellite, with instrumental characteristics similar to the ones proposed for the Cosmic Origins Explorer (COrE). The local, equilateral, orthogonal and flat shapes are considered in both temperature (intensity) and polarized emission data. The angular power spectrum and bispectrum of extragalactic point sources are estimated by state-of-the-art models of source number counts. The impact of all the most relevant (far-infrared and radio selected) source populations on these shapes at COrE frequencies is studied. The results of this analysis show that unresolved extragalactic point sources should not induce a very relevant non-Gaussian signal in the frequency range 100–200 GHz, thus not preventing a correct estimate of the CMB primordial fnl parameter. Polarization information allows one to significantly reduce the error-bars in the fnl parameter and the bias induced by unresolved sources and, hence, to widen the range of frequencies for fnl studies. On the contrary, at ν 225 GHz, important non-Gaussian deviations in CMB anisotropy maps are expected due to unresolved extragalactic sources.


Two types of radiant panel apparatus are available for fire-related testing of cellulose insulation. One is the Flooring Radiant Panel (gas-fired radiant panel), an expensive piece of equipment that requires high operational and maintenance costs. The second type is the Veri-Flux "100" (electric radiant panel), also known as the Small-Scale Radiant Panel, which is currently being used as a quality control instrument in the cellulose insulation industry. There have been few data published comparing the relative performance of the two instruments. This paper analyzes the performance of 53 samples of insulation when tested by these instruments. The analysis attempts to establish whether a direct comparison between the two instruments is feasible. The results of this study will be useful to an ASTM task group that is presently investigating the replacement of the larger gas-fired panel with the electric, small-scale panel.


In this paper, from the perspective of opinion dynamics theory, we investigate the intrinsic interaction principles of a group of autonomous agents and develop a fuzzy opinion dynamics model with leaders. First, this paper divides group agents into three subgroups: opinion followers, positive opinion leaders, and negative opinion leaders according to the opinion's update manner and influence. Then, we consider the uncertainty of the agents' opinion gaps and apply the Fuzzy Inference Machine to the effects of the leaders' opinions on a certain follower's opinion. The innovation of this paper is that the weight is distributed from 0 to 1 in accordance with the closeness among the opinion leaders and followers, which is closer to real life. Finally, the simulation results show that the proposed model can effectively explain the opinion interaction and evolution and conforms with the existing theoretical results in the field of opinion dynamics.


Proceedings: AACR 107th Annual Meeting 2016; April 16-20, 2016; New Orleans, LA

In the era of precision medicine, genomic classifications of prostate cancer (PC) have not broadly impacted patient care. Here we present an integrative transcriptome analysis of 14 disease-related pathways in over 4,600 clinical specimens and 25 PC preclinical models. This approach provides a novel classification scheme, inclusive of 3 PC subtypes (PCS1-3), which predict disease progression and drug resistance. The PCS1 and PCS2 categories possess characteristics of luminal cells, while PCS3 exhibits basal features. Castration-resistant and metastatic cancers are over-represented in PCS1 and PCS3 tumors. All 3 subtypes are represented in commonly used PC cell lines; however, none of the mouse models we analyzed resembles PCS3. PCS classification using RNA expression data appears to be stable across primary and metastatic human tumors, cell lines, xenografts and mouse models. This new subtyping method provides novel opportunities for patient stratification that reflect specific features of tumor biology and may influence therapeutic decisions.

Citation Format: Sungyong You, Beatrice Knudsen, Nicholas Erho, Mohammed Alshalalfa, Mandeep Takhar, Hussam Al-deen Ashab, Elai Davicioni, Robert Jeffrey Karnes, Eric A. Klein, Robert B. Den, Ashley E. Ross, Edward M. Schaeffer, Isla P. Garraway, Jayoung Kim, Michael R. Freeman. Three intrinsic subtypes of prostate cancer with distinct pathway activation profiles differ in prognosis and treatment response. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 1502.


Objective The benefits of group therapy in pediatric rehabilitation have been identified. However, a unique small group occupational therapy model with a large emphasis on parental group education and observation of their children has not been extensively studied. In this model, parents observe their child's sensory motor group therapy through a one-way mirror and work with the occupational therapist together after each session, to receive education and develop strategies. In other models, parents sit in the waiting room or observe without working with an occupational therapist as a group afterwards. Method A descriptive qualitative study was conducted to explore the parental experiences of observing and receiving information as a group regarding their child's participation in sensory motor group therapy. Individual in-depth interviews were conducted with ten parents who observed their children together through a one-way mirror during their children's therapy. Conventional thematic content analysis was used to analyze the interview transcripts to determine themes. Ten parents were interviewed. Results There were three major themes that surfaced: parent support, the value of observation, and knowledge. Parents enjoyed and perceived benefits for themselves and their children from the opportunity to observe sessions and receive information as a group during therapy. Conclusion The experiences of parents in this group model suggest that knowledge translation and provision of support to parents and their children regarding their sensory motor needs are beneficial. Administrators may appreciate additional gains of reducing costs and improving access to service.


The substantial efforts kept by many companies in retaining customers has become more challengeable. In this aspect, forecasting a customer to churn in the upcoming future is an enormously prevailing job for many advertising crews. Present market suffers much-sophisticated charges in bidding to handle new-fangled customers than to hold prevailing ones. As a consequence, ample exploration has been capitalized to innovative traditions of recognizing individual customers who may consume a high hazard of agitating. Nevertheless, purchaser preservation pains consume huge volumes of an organizational resource. In accordance with these matters, the succeeding generation of churn administration ought to concentrate on down truth. A diverse technique of churn prediction has been established to fulfill the above requirements. The work that carried out in this paper is to develop a model that can predict better accuracy of churn. We used the existing models of SVM and kernel function of it and collaborated with the artificial neural networks in prediction. The results proved to be outstanding when both the models integrated with each other. Thus, most of the widespread innovations that have been distinguished in the writing for the extension of a customer churn administration stages which are using the soft computing techniques such as Neural networks, SVM etc.


This work presents a suitable solution to get innervolumetric 3-dimensional data of an Additive Manufacturing (AM) process. The necessary image capturing and generating of singlelayer pointclouds is presented. The subsequent pointcloud composition to an objectpointcloud is also explained. The sensor system is implemented and evaluated in a Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) manufacturing machine. The captured innervolumetric data represents informations about internal structures of the manufactured object and might be a possibility to qualify the manufacturing process. Potential quality features could be geometry dimensions, surface roughness or other manufacturing defects. These informations could control a quality control loop and subsequently improve the manufacturing process.


ABSTRACT The present study aimed to verify whether the inclusion of other ingredients in the diet of laying hens could interfere with the traceability of bovine meat and bone meal (BMBM) in eggs through stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis. Two hundred and fifty-six white laying hens were used and randomly distributed into eight treatments composed of: CONTROL: control diet; GLUTEN: control diet + corn gluten; YEAST: control diet + yeast; GLUTEN + YEAST: control diet + corn gluten + yeast; BMBM: control diet + 4.5 % BMBM; BMBM + GLUTEN: control diet + corn gluten + 4.5 % BMBM; BMBM + YEAST: control diet + yeast + 4.5 % BMBM; BMBM + GLUTEN + YEAST: control diet + corn gluten + yeast + 4.5 % BMBM. The isotopic results were subjected to multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and LDA multivariate linear discriminant analysis. At 28 days, the eggs of the birds given diets without the addition of BMBM differed from the CONTROL group. The yolks showed that all treatments were significantly different from the CONTROL, and at 56 days, all eggs and egg yolks were different from the CONTROL. At 28 days, albumen was significantly different for all CONTROL experimental treatments; however, at 56 days, the YEAST treatment showed no difference from the control. Thus, it was concluded that even with the addition of other ingredients, the isotope technique is still able to detect the BMBM in eggs.


PURPOSE
The current state of pharmacogenetic data curation and dissemination is described, and evidence-based resources for applying pharmacogenetic data in clinical practice are reviewed.

SUMMARY
Implementation of pharmacogenetics in clinical practice has been relatively slow despite substantial scientific progress in understanding linkages between genetic variation and variability of drug response and effect. One factor that has inhibited the adoption of genetic data to guide medication use is a lack of knowledge of how to translate genetic test results into clinical action based on currently available evidence. Other implementation challenges include controversy over selection of appropriate evidentiary thresholds for routine clinical implementation of pharmacogenetic data and the difficulty of compiling scientific data to support clinical recommendations given that large randomized controlled trials to demonstrate the utility of pharmacogenetic testing are not feasible or are not considered necessary to establish clinical utility. Organizations such as the Clinical Pharmacogenetics Implementation Consortium (CPIC) and the Pharmacogenomics Knowledgebase (PharmGKB) systematically evaluate emerging evidence of pharmacogenomic linkages and publish evidence-based prescribing recommendations to inform clinical practice. Both CPIC and PharmGKB provide online resources that facilitate the interpretation of genetic test results and provide prescribing recommendations for specific gene-drug pairs.

CONCLUSION
Resources provided by organizations such as CPIC and PharmGKB, which use standardized approaches to evaluate the literature and provide clinical guidance for a growing number of gene-drug pairs, are essential for the implementation of pharmacogenetics into routine clinical practice.


The fossilization of organic remains and shell material by calcium phosphate minerals provides an illuminating, but time-bounded, window into Ediacaran–Cambrian animal evolution. For reasons that remain unknown, phosphatic fossil preservation declined significantly through Cambrian Series 2. Here, we investigate the phosphorus (P) sources for phosphatic Cambrian carbonates, presenting sedimentological, petrographic, and geochemical data from the Cambrian Series 2–3 Thorntonia Limestone, Australia, some of the youngest Cambrian strata to display exceptional phosphatic preservation of small shelly fossils. We find that within Thorntonia sediments, phosphate was remobilized by organic decay and bacterial iron reduction, with subsequent reprecipitation largely as apatite within the interiors of small shelly fossils. We discuss the merits of bioclastic-derived, organic matter–bound, or iron-bound P as potential sources to these strata. Petrographic observations suggest that the dissolution of phosphatic skeletal material did not provide the P for fossil preservation. In contrast, high organic carbon contents imply significant organic fluxes of P to Thorntonia sediments. Sedimentology and iron-speciation data indicate that phosphorus enrichment occurred during times of expanded anoxic, ferruginous conditions in subsurface water masses, suggesting that phosphorus adsorption to iron minerals precipitating from the water column provided a second significant P source to Thorntonia sediments. Simple stoichiometric models suggest that, by themselves, neither organic carbon burial nor an iron shuttle can account for the observed phosphorus enrichment. Thus, we infer that both processes were necessary for the observed phosphorus enrichment and subsequent fossil preservation in the Thorntonia Limestone.


Abstract The effects of bird feeders on local densities of Ixodes scapularis ticks and prevalence of Lyme disease were examined in residential areas of Dutchess County, NY. Ticks were collected, counted, and analyzed for Borrelia burgdorferi spirochetes in 2001–2002 on residential properties with and without bird feeders. Tick densities and infection prevalence were not significantly different on properties with and without bird feeders. Furthermore, analysis of a questionnaire, administered to 580 local residents in 2001, showed that bird feeders were not associated with the prevalence of Lyme disease. These observations suggest that bird feeders should not be considered a risk factor for Lyme disease in this residential setting.


Intraorganisational relationships promote the transfer of knowledge which may generate new perspectives in the company. This research studies the effect of knowledge transfer in the development of entrepreneurial orientation and its influence on performance, as well as the interaction effect of the family influence. We have used a structural equation modelling technique (Partial Least Squares) to analyse such relationships. The study was carried out in firms belonging to Regional Associations of Family Businesses. Our results show that knowledge transfer has a positive and significant effect on entrepreneurial orientation, which in turn influences business performance. Family influence has a moderating effect by strengthening the relationship between knowledge transfer, entrepreneurial orientation and performance. This study provides a theoretical and empirical basis for further studies on knowledge management and entrepreneurship in family firms.


This study aims to discover the distributional properties of financial ratios of the Jordanian industrial corporations during the year 2002. To achieve this aim, 11 ratios for a sample of 62 industrial corporations were calculated. Then, the normality of these ratios was examined. The results revealed that the current assets/ sales ratio, the quick asset/ sales ratio, the working capital/ sales ratio, the current ratio, the quick ratio and the net income plus depreciation expense/ total liabilities are not normally distributed. After that, the outliers were identified and deleted and the normality of the ratios was retested. The only ratio for which the normality was rejected is the quick ratio. Thus, the findings of the study showed that financial ratios are approximately normally distributed after deleting the outliers. In addition, the results showed that the distributions of the ratios were stable during the period 1998-2001 except for the current ratio distribution which was not stable. The non-normality of the current and quick ratios distributions can be explained by the fact that these ratios are exposed to window-dressing.


In this study, Marshall Stability MS of steel fiber reinforced asphalt concrete has been predicted using steel fiber rate 0%, 0.25%, 0.50%, 0.75%, 1.0%, 1.5%, 2.0% and 2.5%, bitumen content 5%, 5.5% and 6.0% and unit weights 2,465--2,515 gr/cm3 by Fuzzy Logic FL. Results have shown that developed FL model has a strong potential for predicting the MS of asphalt concrete without performing any experimental studies.


Occupancy sensing is one of predominant technology used in various control and context aware systems. The efficiency of such systems is highly corelated with the level of accuracy of the classification model of activity or stage detection of the subject or an occupant. The classification approaches based on computer need to evolve optimally for balancing the computational and time complexity with the classication accuracy using occupancy data acquired from Doppler radar. The proposed study presents a simplified framework that emphasizes on feature extraction technique as a medium to obtain more precision in the process of monitoring occupancy. The proposed logic has been implemented using analytical methodology convention and the extracted feature has been subjected to different forms of frequently used machine learning process with respect to processing time inclusive of training and testing period, efficiency, and accuracy of the proposed system.


The past decade has witnessed a renewed interest in regional trade agreements, with many policymakers and academics seeming to believe that these provide more than the traditional gains from trade. This article examines several possible benefits that regional trade agreements may confer on their partners, including credibility, signaling, bargaining power, insurance, and coordination. It assesses the necessary conditions for each possible channel to work, gives stylized examples of specific types of policy where the benefit might be applicable, examines cases where the explanation might be relevant, and discusses their overall plausibility. It concludes by examining the North American Free Trade Agreement and the Europe Agreements.


Transparent windows are intriguing windows to let customers easier to know the track of multiple processes of the producing or transporting from real or virtual world at once. The purpose of this study was to investigate the customers' importance for assurance about the quality of products or services from transparent windows on both utilitarian and hedonic perspectives. Also, these dual motivations were examined the mediated effect. The findings of this study were showed as expectation mostly. Statistic and practical implications are presented along with suggestions for future research.


Bivariate mixed effects models are often used to jointly infer upon covariance matrices for both random effects (u) and residuals (e) between two different phenotypes in order to investigate the architecture of their relationship. However, these (co)variances themselves may additionally depend upon covariates as well as additional sets of exchangeable random effects that facilitate borrowing of strength across a large number of clusters. We propose a hierarchical Bayesian extension of the classical bivariate mixed effects model by embedding additional levels of mixed effects modeling of reparameterizations of u‐level and e‐level (co)variances between two traits. These parameters are based upon a recently popularized square‐root‐free Cholesky decomposition and are readily interpretable, each conveniently facilitating a generalized linear model characterization. Using Markov Chain Monte Carlo methods, we validate our model based on a simulation study and apply it to a joint analysis of milk yield and calving interval phenotypes in Michigan dairy cows. This analysis indicates that the e‐level relationship between the two traits is highly heterogeneous across herds and depends upon systematic herd management factors.


In this study, polyurethane-carbon fiber composites were prepared with excellent interface with perfect adhesion of carbon fibers with the polyurethane matrix. The polyurethane was thermoplastic polyurethane and the carbon fiber was polyacrylonitrile based with 7 micron meter thickness. The composites were prepared with solvent casting technique. The composite materials were characterized with tensile testing, dynamic mechanical analysis, scanning electron microscope, and thermogravimetric analysis. The excellent adhesion of the carbon fibers in the polyurethane matrix was observed with scanning electron microscopy investigations. This adhesion creates huge improvements in the mechanical properties of the polyurethane. 300 % improvement in tensile strength was achieved with very low percentages of the carbon fiber such as 3 wt %. The hydrophilicity of the polyurethane matrix was confirmed with water contact angle measurements that led to better interaction. Key Words : Polyurethane, carbon fiber, mechanical properties, interphase..


Multipath propagation is a severe problem in conventional FM broadcasting since this phenomenon causes nonlinear distortions after demodulation. Several proposals for the correction of multipath corrupted FM signals were given in some recent papers, but up to now there exist no satisfactory solutions with sufficiently low hardware complexity for commercial application. The main idea of the present paper is to take advantage of some a priori knowledge of the multipath transfer function with the goal to develop a nonrecursive equalizer structure with minimum hardware expense. For adaptive adjustment of the equalizer, we use a recently introduced constant modulus algorithm (CMA) in a modified form. Instead of direct coefficient adjustment, we regard the parameters of the transmission channel as unknowns which are updated adaptively. The equalizer coefficients are uniquely defined by the channel parameters and can be determined in one step. The advantage of this method is a large improvement of the convergence behavior in comparison to existing solutions. The methods presented here are tested by means of an FM hardware system including FM transmitter, multipath simulation, FM demodulator, and an FIR multipath equalizer, which allows real-time investigations of the equalizer performance under well-defined multipath conditions.


[Purpose] The aim of this study was to investigate and compare changes in muscle fascicle and tendon tissue behavior during stretching between a weight-bearing position and non-weight-bearing position. [Subjects] The study subjects were fifteen healthy individuals. [Method] Changes in the calf muscle after stretching in a weight-bearing and a non-weight-bearing position were compared using ultrasonography. Weight-bearing and non-weight-bearing stretching were performed for 30 seconds, and the medial gastrocnemius (MG) muscle fascicle length, pennation angle, and Achilles tendon length were measured before and after stretching. [Results] The post-stretching results in both positions showed increased fascicle length, decreased pennation angle, and increased Achilles tendon length compared with the pre-stretching results. Significant interactions were found between weight-bearing and stretching as evidenced by MG fascicle length and Achilles tendon length; specifically, the non-weight-bearing position increased the length more than the weight-bearing position. [Conclusion] This study revealed that while both weight-bearing and non-weight-bearing stretching were able to stretch the MG muscle and the Achilles tendon, non-weight-bearing stretching was more effective with regard to extending the MG muscle and Achilles tendon.


The method and a preparation for the prophylaxis and treatment of atypical osteoporosis with normal or increased mineralization of the bone tissue with the presence of cavity formations in the trabecular sections of the bones (and conditions similar thereto in the event of excess mass and metabolic syndrome) relate to medicine, in particular to means for preventive action in the event of conditions associated with various forms of osteoporosis, in particular in the event of metabolic syndrome. The method is characterized by a dose of from 10 mg to 1000 mg per day of drone brood and a vitamin or vitamins of group D, and/or active metabolites thereof of from 50 ME to 100 000 ME per day, with simultaneous administration to an organism within a 24-hour period, where the preparation, consisting of from 10 mg to 1000 mg of drone brood, vitamin or vitamins of group D, and/or active metabolites thereof of from 50 ME to 100 000 ME, can be realized in powdery, tablet or capsule form. Implementation of the invention provides for the achievement of the technical result which is envisaged by the applicant and consists in the production of an agent that facilitates a redistribution of calcium in an organism, a reduction in the mineralization of soft tissues, vessels and other organs, and also a filling of cavities in the trabecular bone.


Visual Abstract Among the modulatory functions of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH), an anorectic behavior in rodents is observed when centrally injected. Hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) neurons receive serotonergic inputs from dorsal raphe nucleus and express serotonin (5HT) receptors such as 5HT1A, 5HT2A/2C, 5HT6, which are involved in 5HT-induced feeding regulation. Rats subjected to dehydration-induced anorexia (DIA) model show increased PVN TRH mRNA expression, associated with their decreased food intake. We analyzed whether 5HT input is implicated in the enhanced PVN TRH transcription that anorectic rats exhibit, given that 5HT increases TRH expression and release when studied in vitro. By using mHypoA-2/30 hypothalamic cell cultures, we found that 5HT stimulated TRH mRNA, pCREB, and pERK1/2 levels. By inhibiting basal PKA or PKC activities or those induced by 5HT, pCREB or pERK1/2 content did not increase suggesting involvement of both kinases in their phosphorylation. 5HT effect on TRH mRNA was not affected by PKA inhibition, but it diminished in the presence of PKCi suggesting involvement of PKC in 5HT-induced TRH increased transcription. This likely involves 5HT2A/2C and the activation of alternative transduction pathways than those studied here. In agreement with the in vitro data, we found that injecting 5HT2A/2C antagonists into the PVN of DIA rats reversed the increased TRH expression of anorectic animals, as well as their decreased food intake; also, the agonist reduced food intake of hungry restricted animals along with elevated PVN TRH mRNA levels. Our results support that the anorectic effects of serotonin are mediated by PVN TRH in this model.


We examine the dynamical behavior of white-light polar-plume structures in the inner corona that are observed from the ground during total solar eclipses, based on their extreme ultraviolet (EUV) hot and cool emission line counterparts observed from space. EUV observations from Solar Dynamics Observatory/Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (SDO/AIA) of a sequence of rapidly varying coronal hole structures are analyzed. Evidence of events showing acceleration in the 1.25 Mk line of Fe xii at 193 Å is given. The structures along the plume show an outward velocity of about 140 km s−1 that can be interpreted as an upward propagating wave in the 304 Å and 171 Å lines; higher speeds are seen in 193 Å (up to 1000 km s−1). The ejection of the cold He ii plasma is delayed by about 4 minutes in the lowest layer and is delayed more than 12 minutes in the highest level compared to the hot 193 Å behavior. A study of the dynamics using time-slice diagrams reveals that a large amount of fast ejected material originates from below the plume, at the footpoints. The release of plasma material appears to come from a cylinder with quasi-parallel edge-enhanced walls. After the initial phase of a longitudinal acceleration, the speed substantially reduces, and the ejecta disperse into the environment. Finally, the detailed temporal and spatial relationships between the cool and hot components were studied with simultaneous multiwavelength observations, using more AIA data. The outward-propagating perturbation of the presumably magnetic walls of polar plumes supports the suggestion that Alfvén waves propagate outwardly along these radially extended walls.


ABSTRACT The study aimed to assess the preferences of expert physicians about the requirements for inhalation devices for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and to identify the most relevant advantages and disadvantages to their prescription. In a two-round Delphi survey, 96 Spanish COPD-expert pulmonologists completed an internet-based questionnaire to evaluate the degree of importance of the characteristics of the inhaler devices in their choice for COPD. The requirements needed for use in COPD were that the device permits a high pulmonary deposit of the drug, allowed its dispensation at low inspiratory flows, did not require hand-mouth coordination, generated an exact and reproducible dose, its operation was easy to teach, provided the perception of a correct inhalation, had an intuitive use mechanism and security mechanisms to prevent overdosing and generates a reduced oropharyngeal deposit (very good consensus). Modulite®, Respimat® and NEXThaler® were associated with high pulmonary deposit, and Respimat® showed correct dispensation at low inspiratory flows. All dry-powder inhaler devices were associated with the advantage of not requiring coordination, and Respimat® was the only device considered as difficult to teach by more than 50% of the experts. Breezhaler® and Genuair® were positively associated with patients' awareness of correct inhalation, whereas Spiromax® stood out for its intuitive use mechanism. In conclusion, our study contributes to defining the inhaler device properties required for their use in patients with COPD, and to identify the devices that, in the opinion of experts, best meet each requirement.


WHAT'S KNOWN ON THIS SUBJECT: Palivizumab prophylaxis prevents respiratory syncytial virus lower respiratory tract infection. An association between respiratory syncytial virus infection and subsequent recurrent wheezing has been suggested by many studies. Only a few studies conducted from Europe and North America have addressed this causal association. WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS: In a prospective, multicenter, case-control study of 440 children with high follow-up rate of 98.4%, palivizumab prophylaxis administered to preterm Japanese infants (33–35 weeks' gestational age) in their first respiratory season reduced the incidence of subsequent recurrent wheezing up to 3 years. abstract BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Palivizumab effectively prevents severe respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) disease in preterm infants. Our objective was to test whether palivizumab prophylaxis given to pre-term infants during the first RSV season reduces the incidence of subsequent recurrent wheezing up to 3 years of life.


Aim and Objective: The main objective of this in vitro study was to evaluate the comparative analysis of remineralization potential of three different materials – casein phosphopeptide-amorphous calcium phosphate with fluoride (CPP-ACPF), calcium sucrose phosphate (CaSP), and bioactive glass on demineralized enamel using light fluorescence microscopy and confocal laser scanning fluorescence microscopy. Materials and Methods: A total of 40 single-rooted maxillary and mandibular premolars were selected; 4 mm × 4 mm window was prepared on the buccal surfaces of the teeth, which was then subjected to demineralization for 96 h at 37°C. Teeth were randomly selected and divided into four study groups of 10 teeth each: Group 1 (artificial saliva), Group 2 (CPP-ACPF), Group 3 (bioactive glass), and Group 4 (CaSP). Each group was treated with respective remineralizing agents and sectioned with Struers Minitom diamond saw. Each section obtained was visualized under light fluorescence microscope for detection of remineralized and demineralized zones and also was visualized under confocal laser scanning fluorescent microscope for the quantification of demineralized and remineralized zones. Statistical Analysis: Statistical analysis was done using paired t-test, followed by one-way ANOVA, where P ≤ 0.05. Results: All the groups showed better statistically significant remineralization potential when compared to the control group, but among them Group 4, that is, Toothmin group showed the highest mean remineralized value, followed by Groups 3, 2, and 1, though the values were not statistically significant (P ≤ 0.05). Light fluorescence microscopy was an efficient diagnostic aid in detecting remineralization and demineralization. Conclusion: CaSP (Toothmin) has got the best remineralization potential when compared to other groups.


The aim was to investigate the relation between COPD assessment test(CAT™) and pulmonary function tests(PFT),BODE index,and St.George Respiratory Questionnaire(SGRQ).

100 patients diagnosed by GOLD criteria were included to the study.A questionnaire that include sociodemographic findings as well as CAT,PFT,SGRQ,and BODE index were assessed for each patient.

90 of the patients(90%) were male and mean age was 63,25±9.55 years.43% patients had comorbidities.There were 3 patients(3%) in stage 1,40 patients(40%) in stage 2,41 patients(41%) in stage 3,and 16 patients(16%) in stage 4.The correlation between COPD stage and exacerbation number in a year,hospitalization in a year, FEV1, FEV1/FVC,six minute walk test,CAT score,SGRQ scores (impact,activity,symptom,total),BODE score,and MMRC score was observed(p<0,001).When the relation of these parameters between each other was investigated,high degree correlation between each other was observed(Pearson correlation test).The correlation of CAT and SGRQ scores was higher than other.

View this table:

Table 1. Correlation of CAT, functional parameters and SGRQ scores (Pearson correlation test)

Exacerbation number in a year and hospitalization in a year was related with all the parameters above.

High degree correlation between CAT and functional tests and quality of life in COPD patients and also correlation between these parameters and disease stage was observed.CAT can be used as simple,practical test when PFT were unavailable or there was no enough time to apply quality of life questionnaire.


The debate on the structural competitiveness of national and local productive systems has lately paid relevant attention to the territorial distribution of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), since it can be perceived as an indicator of economic openness and integration in the world market. With regard to this, it can be observed that Italy has a strong potential for attracting investment, but the inward flow of FDI is very small with respect to what happens in other countries. This study analyses the factors determining this kind of mismatch with the aim of identifying appropriate policy suggestions to improve the strategies to attract foreign investors to Italy and, particularly, to its southern regions.


Liposarcoma is the most frequent type among the retroperitoneal soft-tissues sarcomas. The characteristic aptitude of such tumors is the slowly subtle growing of a deep-located mass, often reaching huge size, causing diffuse dull abdominal pain, anorexia and weight loss. Liposarcomas can involve or compress neighboring organs but their clinical evidence rarely shows acute symptoms. We present the case of a 57-year old men admitted at the emergency with a diagnosis of acute appendicitis. Further physical examination in our division suspected a large intraabdominal mass coexisting and probably causing the acute appendicitis. The CT scan performed showed a huge retroperitoneal fatty mass occupying the right abdominal quadrants from the liver to the obturator foramen, rounding the kidney and contiguous to an abscessual collection in the right iliac fossa. Patient underwent surgery with a resection of the mass en bloc with the ileocaecal tract involved as well as the abdominal wall delimiting the appendicular abcess. Kidney parenchyma was spared. Histologic examination revealed a lipoma – like well differentiated liposarcoma. Postoperative hemorrage occurred and managed conservatively. Patient hospital stay was fourteen days. Follow-up at three months demonstrated absence of local and distant recurrence. The reported case refers to the unusual clinical presentation of a retroperitoneal liposarcoma. Surgical behaviour in facing such rare tumors should be aggressive, althought a complete resection, allowing the patient the best outcome in terms of survival and recurrence, remains sometimes a challenge.


Side channel and fault attacks take advantage from the fact that the behavior of crypto implementations can be observed and provides hints that simplify revealing keys. In a real word a lot of devices, that are identical to the target device, can be attacked before attacking the real target to increase the success of the attack. Their package can be opened and their electromagnetic radiation and structure can be analyzed. Another example of how to improve significantly the success rate of attacks is the measurement of the difference of the side channel leakage of two identical devices, one of these devices being the target, using the Wheatstone bridge measurement setup. Here we propose to individualize the electrical circuit of cryptographic devices in order to prevent attacks that use identical devices: attacks, that analyze the structure of devices identical to the target device in a preparation phase; usual side channel attacks, that use always the same target device for collecting many traces, and attacks that use two identical devices at the same time for measuring the difference of side-channel leakages. The proposed individualization can prevent such attacks because the power consumption and the electromagnetic radiation of devices with individualized electrical circuit are individualized while providing the same functionality. We implemented three individualized ECC designs that provide exactly the same cryptographic function on a Spartan-6 FPGA. These designs differ from each other in a single block only, i.e. in the field multiplier. The visualization of the routed design and measurement results show clear differences in the topology, in the resources consumed as well as in the power and electromagnetic traces. We show that the influence of the individualized designs on the power traces is comparable with the influence of inputs. These facts show that individualizing of electrical circuits of cryptographic devices can be exploited as a protection mechanism. We envision that this type of protection mechanism is relevant if an attacker has a physical access to the cryptographic devices, e.g. for wireless sensor networks from which devices can easily be stolen for further analysis in the lab.


Compact SPECT systems with cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) solid-state detectors with improved energy resolution and shorter acquisition times have recently been introduced. These systems have, however, different energy characteristics compared to NaI(Tl) crystal-based cameras; therefore, a need exists to develop new simulation models for these cameras. We modeled the charge transport within the CZT detectors for a GE Discovery 530c/570c SPECT system with multiple pinhole collimators employing the SIMIND Monte Carlo program and validated simulations against measurements. The incomplete charge collection between the anode and cathode in the pixilated CZT was modeled with the Hecht equation. The simulation also included charge-sharing effects across pixels due to physical interactions and charge diffusion. To validate our CZT-model, 99mTc and 123I point sources and a 201Tl line source were acquired and measured. Measured energy spectra were compared with simulated energy spectra. The Monte Carlo simulated energy spectra agreed well with the experimental measurements within the photopeak, overestimated the k-edge x-ray escape peaks of cadmium and telluride, and slightly underestimated the remainder of the tail. Comparisons of system sensitivity and spatial resolution were also conducted for an array of point source locations with results showing excellent agreement. Lastly, to demonstrate a clinically realistic case, a simulation of an anthropomorphic phantom with a cardiac insert and an inferior defect was performed. Simulated projections were processed using the GE Xeleris software confirming the accuracy of the SIMIND geometry. We conclude that it is feasible to simulate the GE Discovery 530c/570c SPECT system using the SIMIND code.


Electron microscopic investigations were carried out to study the nerve elements in the wall of the small intestine in Crohn's disease, comparing it with the control. In the ileum of Crohn's disease only a few synapses were found. The number of nerve terminals were decreased, as well as that of the vesicle population in the remaining nerve terminals. Some of the nerve processes were observed in degeneration. The number of the lysosomes in the nerve cell bodies increased. Inflammatory cells as lymphocytes, plasma cells, mast cells were noted in the tola submucosa and in the mucous membrane, their number was also increased. It is suggested that the immunological effector cells and their products could be responsible for changing the neuronal elements.


Abstract SARS CoV-2 is the causative agent of the pandemic disease COVID-19. There is an urgent need for effective drugs or vaccines which can effectively combat this outbreak. The main protease (Mpro), a key component for the SARS CoV-2 replication, is considered to be one of the important drug targets for developing anti-COVID-19 drugs. This SARS CoV-2 Mpro/cysteine protease has high sequence similarity with the same protease from SARS CoV-1. Previously, it has been shown experimentally that eight diterpenoids and four biflavonoids derived from the leaf of Torreya nucifera show inhibitory effect on the cleavage/catalytic activity of the SARS CoV-1 Mpro. But whether these phytochemicals exhibit any inhibitory effect on SARS CoV-2 Mpro is unclear. To understand this fact, here, we have adopted various in-silico approaches. Diterpenoids and biflavonoids those qualified pharmacological test (hinokiol, amentoflavone, bilobetin and ginkgetin) and two well-known Mpro inhibitors (N3 and lopinavir) were subjected for molecular docking studies. Only three biflavonoids (amentoflavone, bilobetin and ginkgetin) were selected by comparing their binding affinities with N3 and lopinavir. They interacted with two most important catalytic residues of Mpro (His41 and Cys145). Molecular dynamics studies further revealed that these three Mpro-biflavonoid complexes are highly stable and share a similar degree of compactness. Besides, these complexes experience less conformational fluctuations and more expansion than Mpro-N3 and/or Mpro-lopinavir complex. MM-GBSA and H-bond analysis further corroborated these findings. Altogether, our study suggested that these three biflavonoids could possibly inhibit the proteolytic/catalytic activity of SARS CoV-2 Mpro and might be useful for COVID-19 treatment. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma


Recent experiments show that the neural codes at work in a wide range of creatures share some common features. At first sight, these observations seem unrelated. However, we show that these features arise naturally in a linear filtered threshold crossing model when we set the threshold to maximize the transmitted information. This maximization process requires neural adaptation to not only the DC signal level, as in conventional light and dark adaptation, but also to the statistical structure of the signal and noise distributions. We also present a new approach for calculating the mutual information between a neuron's output spike train and any aspect of its input signal which does not require reconstruction of the input signal. This formulation is valid provided the correlations in the spike train are small, and we provide a procedure for checking this assumption. This paper is based on joint work (DeWeese M 1995 Optimization principles for the neural code, Dissertation, Princeton University). Preliminary results from the linear filtered threshold crossing model appeared in a previous proceedings (DeWeese M and Bialek W 1995 Information flow in sensory neurons, Nuovo Cimento D 17 733-8), and the conclusions we reached at that time have been reaffirmed by further analysis of the model.


The 1/8 fractional plateau phase (1/8 FPP) in Shastry-Sutherland lattice (SSL) spin systems has been viewed an exemplar of emergence on an Archimedean lattice. Here we explore this phase in the Ising magnet TmB_{4} using high-resolution specific heat (C) and magnetization (M) in the field-temperature plane. We show that the 1/8 FPP is smoothly connected to the antiferromagnetic phase on ramping the field from H=0. Thus, the 1/8 FPP is not a distinct thermodynamic ground state of TmB_{4}. The implication of these results for Heisenberg spins on the SSL is discussed.


Relative Arrhenius parameters have been determined for the addition of trifluoromethyl radicals to vinyl chloride (XCl), vinyl bromide (XBr), acrylonitrile (XCN), methyl vinyl ketone (XCOCH3), 2-methylbut-2-ene, and to iso-butene, taking the rate of addition to ethylene as standard. Addition occurred virtually exclusively at the unsubstituted end of all the olefins. The relative rates of addition at 164°C show very little variation. The preexponential terms for addition to the CH2 ends are constant within experimental error, and the small variations in rate are due principally to the activation energy term. The present results are put on an absolute scale using the previously determined Arrhenius parameters for addition to ethylene and are compared with data for other similar monomers determined previously.


This letter presents a novel method of supervised multiresolution segmentation for synthetic aperture radar images. The method uses a region-based half-tree hierarchical Markov random field model for multiresolution segmentation. To form the region-based multilayer model, the watershed algorithm is employed at each resolution level independently. The nodes of a quadtree in the proposed model are defined as regions instead of pixels. The relationship over scale is studied, and the region-based upward and downward maximization of posterior marginal estimations are deduced. The experimental results for the segmentation of homogeneous areas prove the region-based model much better in terms of robustness to speckle and preservation of edges compared to the pixel-based hierarchical model and the Gibbs sampler with the single-resolution model


The purpose of this study is focused on the development of the effective classification technique using ultra multiband of hyperspectral image. This study suggests the classification technique using canonical correlation analysis, one of multivariate statistical analysis in hyperspectral image classification. High accuracy of classification result is expected for this classification technique as the number of bands increase. This technique is compared with Maximum Likelihood Classification(MLC). The hyperspectral image is the EO1-hyperion image acquired on September 2, 2001, and the number of bands for the experiment were chosen at 30, considering the band scope except the thermal band of Landsat TM. We chose the comparing base map as Ground Truth Data. We evaluate the accuracy by comparing this base map with the classification result image and performing overlay analysis visually. The result showed us that in MLC's case, it can't classify except water, and in case of water, it only classifies big lakes. But Canonical Correlation Classification (CCC) classifies the golf lawn exactly, and it classifies the highway line in the urban area well. In case of water, the ponds that are in golf ground area, the ponds in university, and pools are also classified well. As a result, although the training areas are selected without any trial and error, it was possible to get the exact classification result. Also, the ability to distinguish golf lawn from other vegetations in classification classes, and the ability to classify water was better than MLC technique. Conclusively, this CCC technique for hyperspectral image will be very useful for estimating harvest and detecting surface water. In advance, it will do an important role in the construction of GIS database using the spectral high resolution image, hyperspectral data.


Of late, several biologically active antioxidants from natural products have been investigated by the researchers in order to combat the root cause of carcinogenesis, in other words, oxidative stress. Mangiferin, a therapeutically active C-glucosylated xanthone, is extracted from pulp, peel, seed, bark and leaf of Mangifera indica. These polyphenols of mangiferin exhibit antioxidant properties and tend to decrease the oxygen-free radicals, thereby reducing the DNA damage. Indeed, its capability to modulate several key inflammatory pathways undoubtedly helps in stalling the progression of carcinogenesis. The current review article emphasizes an updated account on the patents published on the chemopreventive action of mangiferin, apoptosis induction made on various cancer cells, along with proposed antioxidative activities and patent mapping of other important therapeutic properties. Considering it as promising polyphenol, this paper would also summarize the diverse molecular targets of mangiferin.


The intermetallic compounds YbPt3 and Yb3Pt5, which present magnetic ordering below 0.25 K and 0.95 K respectively, have been investigated by 170Yb Mossbauer spectroscopy at very low temperatures. In YbPt3, the electronic ground Kramers doublet of Yb3+ has been determined, as well as its exchange splitting and spin-spin relaxation rate; the lowest Yb3+ crystal field excitation has been estimated. The surprising finding that the crystal electric field has strong axial character in YbPt3, instead of the expected cubic symmetry, is discussed.