Objective: To examine brain activation profiles for receptive language function, using magnetoencephalography (MEG), in patients with left hemisphere space-occupying lesions and patients with left temporal lobe epilepsy due to mesial temporal sclerosis (MTS) and to evaluate whether cross- and intrahemispheric plasticity for language varied as a function of lesion type or location. Methods: Twenty-one patients with MTS and 23 lesional patients underwent preoperative language mapping while performing a word recognition task. The anatomic location of late activity sources was determined by co-registering MEG coordinates onto structural MRI scans. A language laterality index was calculated based on the number of activity sources in each hemisphere. The location of language-specific activity was examined in relation to its proximity or overlap with Wernicke's area. Results: A higher incidence of atypical language lateralization was noted among patients with MTS than lesional patients (43 vs 13%). The majority of MTS patients with early seizure onset (before age 5) showed atypical language lateralization. In contrast, the precise location of receptive language-specific cortex within the dominant hemisphere was found to be atypical (outside of Wernicke's area) in 30% of lesional patients and only 14% of MTS patients. Conclusions: There is an increased probability of a partial or total displacement of key components of the brain mechanism responsible for receptive language function to the nondominant hemisphere in mesial temporal sclerosis patients. Early onset of seizures is strongly associated with atypical language lateralization. Lesions in the dominant hemisphere tend to result in an intrahemispheric reorganization of linguistic function.


OBJECTIVE
This study aims to increase the body of knowledge regarding osteoporosis in the Jordanian context by investigating the magnitude of osteoporosis amongst perimenopausal women, as well as the risk factors associated with the disease.

METHODS
Two hundred and fifty one women between the ages of 40 to 60 years were randomly selected from the Orthopedics and Rheumatology out patient clinics at the Major Teaching Hospital in Amman, Jordan. A structured questionnaire, which focused upon risk factors and preventive measures for osteoporosis, was administered by a trained staff nurse to all women. Index women were then referred to a private hospital, also in Amman, for a dual energy x-ray absorptiometry of the lumbar spine (Lumbar 1-4) and hip.

RESULTS
Results show the magnitude of osteoporosis was 13% according to the bone mineral density of the lumbar spine. Women with osteoporosis were older (p< 0.00) and smaller in build (p<0.00) than women with low or normal bone density. Osteoporotic women were also more likely to be menopausal (p<0.00) and to have taken corticosteroids for a prolonged period of time (p<0.00). Logistic regression showed being menopausal (p<0.00), taking corticosteroids (p<0.05), and having a relatively lower body mass index (p<0.00) were significantly related to being osteoporotic in this group of women.

CONCLUSION
The authors conclude that this study was not only able to report upon the magnitude of osteoporosis among women sampled, and the risk factors for low bone density, but also raised issues related to inconsistencies in how the health care system deals with women who are at risk for osteoporosis. Study findings are discussed in their socio-cultural context, and implications of the study findings are presented.


In this paper a mechanistic model is developed for the prediction of annular two-phase flow behavior in gas wells. The model can predict annular flow characteristics, such as liquid film thickness, gas void fraction, and pressure gradient. It was evaluated against a data bank of 75 wells for which the pressure drop between the bottom of the well and the wellhead was available. The model was also compared with data from two wells with measured pressure profiles. Model predictions are in agreement with these data and superior to most commonly used correlations.


Positively charged reversed-phase liquid chromatography was employed for the efficient preparative separation of isoquinoline alkaloids from Corydalis impatiens. Ten commercially available columns were compared for isoquinoline alkaloids analysis. While tailing, overloading, lower resolution, and buffer salts limited the application in purification of isoquinoline compounds of many of these columns, one positively charged reversed-phase C18 column (XCharge C18) overcame these drawbacks, allowing for favorable separation resolution, even when loading isoquinoline compounds on a larger, preparative scale. The general separation process is as follows. Firstly, isoquinoline alkaloids are enriched with Corydalis impatiens extract via a middle chromatogram isolated gel column. After column selection, separation is performed on an XCharge C18 analytical column, from which two evident chromatographic peaks are readily obtained. Finally, two isoquinoline alkaloids (protopine and corydamine) are selectively purified on the XCharge C18 preparative column. These results demonstrate that a middle chromatogram isolated gel column coupled with positively charged reversed-phase liquid chromatography is effective for the preparative separation of isoquinoline alkaloids from Corydalis impatiens. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.


Mobile communications are a relatively new and additional source of electromagnetic exposure for the population. Standard daily mobile-phone use is known to increase RF-EMF (radiofrequency electromagnetic field) exposure to the brains of users of all ages, whilst mobile-phone base stations, and base station units for cordless phones, can regularly increase the exposures of large numbers of the population to RF-EMF radiation in everyday life. The need to determine appropriate standards stipulating the maximum acceptable short-term and long-term RF-EMF levels encountered by the public, and set such levels as general guidelines, is of great importance in order to help preserve the general public's health and that of the next generation of humanity.


Interactions between fishing and dolphins can be detrimental, since on one hand dolphins can be lethally entangled by nets and trawls, and on the other dolphins can predate fish caught by nets. For dolphins, this interaction can be dangerous as they can be wounded or accidentally killed; for fishers, the predation of their catch results in economic losses due to reduced quantity and/or quality of catches and damage to fishing gear. During July and November 2020, we surveyed the "dolphin–fisheries conflict" through compiling 209 fisher interviews from nine locations in Italy and Croatia. Fishers mentioned the common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) as the species primarily interacting with fishing, with the major issue being catch damage by predation. The interaction probability varied among gears and seasons, with some fishing activities (e.g., passive nets) more affected than others (e.g., bottom trawls), especially in terms of economic loss (1000–10,000 €/year on average). More than 70% of the fishers claimed that dolphin populations have increased over the last 10 years, in different degrees and based on different areas. Dolphin bycatch rates are generally low; however, 34.6% of respondents reported having captured at least one dolphin during their career. The fishers' attitude towards acoustic deterrents ("pingers") as a mitigation measure revealed that few of them were aware of these devices or were using them.


Importance Given scrutiny over financial conflicts of interest in health care, it is important to understand the types and distribution of industry-related payments to physicians. Objective To determine the types and distribution of industry-related payments to physicians in 2015 and the association of physician specialty and sex with receipt of payments from industry. Design, Setting, and Participants Observational, retrospective, population-based study of licensed US physicians (per National Plan & Provider Enumeration System) linked to 2015 Open Payments reports of industry payments. A total of 933 295 allopathic and osteopathic physicians. Outcomes were compared across specialties (surgery, primary care, specialists, interventionalists) and between 620 166 male (66.4%) and 313 129 female (33.6%) physicians using regression models adjusting for geographic Medicare-spending region and sole proprietorship. Exposures Physician specialty and sex. Main Outcomes and Measures Reported physician payment from industry (including nature, number, and value), categorized as general payments (including consulting fees and food and beverage), ownership interests (including stock options, partnership shares), royalty or license payments, and research payments. Associations between physician characteristics and reported receipt of payment. Results In 2015, 449 864 of 933 295 physicians (133 842 [29.8%] women), representing approximately 48% of all US physicians were reported to have received $2.4 billion in industry payments, including approximately $1.8 billion for general payments, $544 million for ownership interests, and $75 million for research payments. Compared with 47.7% of primary care physicians (205 830 of 431 819), 61.0% of surgeons (110 604 of 181 372) were reported as receiving general payments (absolute difference, 13.3%; 95% CI, 13.1-13.6; odds ratio [OR], 1.72; P < .001). Surgeons had a mean per-physician reported payment value of $6879 (95% CI, $5895-$7862) vs $2227 (95% CI, $2141-$2314) among primary care physicians (absolute difference, $4651; 95% CI, $4014-$5288). After adjusting for geographic spending region and sole proprietorship, men within each specialty had a higher odds of receiving general payments than did women: surgery, 62.5% vs 56.5% (OR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.26-1.31); primary care, 50.9% vs 43.0% (OR, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.36-1.39); specialists, 36.3% vs 33.4% (OR, 1.15; 95% CI, 1.13-1.17); and interventionalists, 58.1% vs 40.7% (OR, 2.03; 95% CI, 1.97-2.10; P < .001 for all tests). Similarly, men reportedly received more royalty or license payments than did women: surgery, 1.2% vs 0.03% (OR, 43.20; 95% CI, 25.02-74.57); primary care, 0.02% vs 0.002% (OR, 9.34; 95% CI, 4.11-21.23); specialists, 0.08% vs 0.01% (OR, 3.67; 95% CI, 1.71-7.89); and for interventionalists, 0.13% vs 0.04% (OR, 7.98; 95% CI, 2.87-22.19; P < .001 for all tests). Conclusions and Relevance According to data from 2015 Open Payments reports, 48% of physicians were reported to have received a total of $2.4 billion in industry-related payments, primarily general payments, with a higher likelihood and higher value of payments to physicians in surgical vs primary care specialties and to male vs female physicians.


Background/Purpose
Femoroacetabular impingement Syndrome (FAIS) and the often-associated acetabular labral tears (ALTs) are challenging to treat and consensus to guide effective management is lacking. Recent guidelines suggest physical therapy is beneficial, yet the guidance for specific interventions is unclear. The purpose of highlighting these cases was to describe the outcomes and the clinical reasoning process driving conservative management of subjects with FAIS and ALTs that were deemed surgical candidates.

Study Design
Case Series.

Case Descriptions
Six subjects (20 - 65 years old) with confirmed FAIS and/or ALTs were included. Subjects were assigned to different treatment pathways based on their individual presentation. Three subjects were categorized as having primary mobility impairments and three were categorized with primary neuromuscular control impairments. Treatment intensity was adjusted according to the individual nature of symptoms, and on average lasted 81 days.

Outcomes
Clinically important improvements were seen on all self-reported outcome measures (International Hip Outcome Tool - 33, Numeric Pain Rating Scale, Patient Specific Functional Scale, and Global Rating of Change). At two years, none of the subjects had elected surgical management.

Discussion
These cases illustrate the clinical reasoning process utilized to prioritize subjects' treatment along a continuum of neuromuscular control and mobility. The treatment approach also illustrates successful management of potential surgical candidates that elected to forego surgery after satisfactory completion of conservative management.

Level of Evidence
Level 4.


Ontela, a technology start-up company, has introduced an innovative service called PicDeck that improves the mobile imaging experience for wireless subscribers. Ontela sells PicDeck to wireless carriers, who in turn private-label the service to their subscribers. Ontela must decide which customer segments it should target for the service and how to create a positioning strategy and a marketing communication plan to promote it. It must also consider the value proposition of the PicDeck service for wireless carriers (its direct customers), who need to be convinced that the service will lead to higher monthly average revenue per user (ARPU) and/or increased subscriber loyalty. Part A of the case provides qualitative information on customer personae that represent different customer segments. Students are asked to develop a targeting and positioning strategy based on this qualitative information. Part B provides quantitative data on customer preferences that can be used to identify response-based customer segments, as well as demographic and media habits information that can be used to profile the segments. Students are asked to revise their recommendations based on the additional quantitative data.

The case reinforces the principles of data-driven customer segmentation, discusses the appropriate criteria for selecting segments, and provides a deeper understanding of the benefits and drawbacks of different approaches to identifying and evaluating segments. The case illustrates how the results of data-driven segmentation may run counter to approaches that rely on "gut feel" or qualitative information alone.


As of June 19, 2010, the Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter, an instrument on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, has collected over 2.0 × 109 measurements of elevation that collectively represent the highest resolution global model of lunar topography yet produced. These altimetric observations have been used to improve the lunar geodetic grid to ∼10 m radial and ∼100 m spatial accuracy with respect to the Moon's center of mass. LOLA has also provided the highest resolution global maps yet produced of slopes, roughness and the 1064‐nm reflectance of the lunar surface. Regional topography of the lunar polar regions allows precise characterization of present and past illumination conditions. LOLA's initial global data sets as well as the first high‐resolution digital elevation models (DEMs) of polar topography are described herein.


Abstract The aim of this exploratory study was to identify the sources of information provided in Google preview features, specifically the knowledge panels and featured snippets, when searching for health information online, with the goal of informing the development of consumer health programs and materials. In a search of the top ten health-related Google searches of 2018, the quality of information sources in the preview content varied both within and between sources. Librarians' knowledge of how a Google search responds to health inquiries of local interest can help them fill in gaps and curate or create more informative health materials for consumers.


Elijah Chudnoff's case for irreducible cognitive phenomenology hinges on seeming to see the truth of a mathematical proposition (Chudnoff 2015). In the following, I develop an augmented version of Chudnoff's case, not based on seeming to see, or intuition, but based on being in a state with presentational phenomenology of high-level content. In contrast to other cases for cognitive phenomenology, those based on Strawson's case (Strawson 2011), I argue that the case presented here is able to withstand counterarguments, which attempt to reduce cognitive phenomenology to sensory phenomenology. To support my argument, I present findings from Bowden and Jung-Beeman's experiments with the Aha! Experience (Bowden & Jung-Beeman 2004), and argue that the Aha! Experience is a species of the experience of understanding presented here. I interpret the results of these experiments to provide further evidence for irreducible cognitive phenomenology.


Introduction . Metformin, known as medicine for diabetes mellitus treatment, today is widely studied in oncology as drug for suppressing growth of different malignant tumors in experiments on animals. Materials and methods . Metformin's untitumor effect was studied on rats with glioma 101.8, treated with metformin or it's combination with chemomedicines cisplatin or doxorubicin. The duration of animals' life with brain glioma and it's average rate in each group of rats were determined. Results. The direct and combined influence of metformin on rats' brain tumor was studied in experiment. It was determined that metformin in doses 50–150 mg/kg not influence on the growth of brain glioma. Metformin an injection with cisplatin or doxorubicin more often suppressed glioma's growth then used separately. Conclusion. On the base of experiments' results analysis the use of metformin is recommended in neurooncology clinic during malignant gliomas treatment.


Tin telluride (SnTe) quantum dots (QDs) have attracted considerable interest in the optoelectronic field owing to their favorable properties over conventional QDs, such as a relatively large Bohr radius (95 nm) and low toxicity level. However, till date, the nonlinear optical properties and ultrafast photonics applications of SnTe QDs have remained unexplored. In this study, SnTe QDs with an average diameter of 74 nm (smaller than the Bohr radius of SnTe) are fabricated via a liquid‐phase exfoliation method. Consequently, the nonlinear saturable absorption properties of such SnTe QDs are explored by realizing a modulation depth of 2.2% and saturable intensity of 1.67 GW cm−2. The prepared QDs are then used as saturable absorber (SA) in the erbium‐doped fiber laser ring cavity system. Moreover, Q‐switched and mode‐locked laser pulses with a pulse width of 1.81 µs and 691 fs are generated, respectively. Harmonic mode‐locking with a high repetition rate of 62.1 MHz (fifth order) is experimentally realized. This is the first demonstration, to the authors' knowledge, of using SnTe QDs‐SA for generating ultrafast laser pulses along with high‐repetition‐rate harmonic mode‐locking pulses. Therefore, this study will establish a new research scope for SnTe QDs in ultrafast photonics, nonlinear photonics, frequency combs, and optical communications.


Thirty-two patients with Rh-immunized pregnancies had amniocenteses between 16 and 20 weeks' gestation. Serial amniotic fluid values of delta optical density at 450 nm were studied to predict the severity of Rh disease. A value greater than 0.15 indicated severe Rh immunization. Values less than 0.09 indicated mild or no Rh disease; delta optical density at 450 nm between 0.09 and 0.15 require further evaluation to determine the trend. Midtrimester amniocentesis is a simple technique that helps to determine which patients may or may not require fetal blood sampling.


The presence of primary or secondary pulmonary hypertension is associated with poor prognosis. Therefore, early diagnosis of this affection is necessary and explains the rapid development of many non-invasive techniques in recent years. Unfortunately, none of these techniques seems to be sensitive and specific enough for the early detection and follow-up of pulmonary hypertension. The development of new non-invasive techniques, such as those associating echocardiography and Doppler effect, and certain radionuclide techniques, may in future allow better non-invasive quantification of pulmonary hypertension. However, these techniques will have to be prospectively tested in patients with pulmonary hypertension of varying origin to determine their clinical value.


ABSTRACT A 47-year old, Caucasian man underwent extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) of a 14mm calcium stone in the right renal pelvis, without urinary tract obstruction or sepsis. 24 hours after ESWL septic shock occurred and the patient was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Escherichia coli emerged from the blood and urine culture. The patient developed acute renal failure and it was necessary to start a continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT). Infection was successfully treated, patient recovered renal function and an improvement of general condition occurred. The patient was then discharged but three day later the patient returned to the hospital to seek treatment for left facial hemiparesis and hypotonia of his left arm. The brain computed tomography showed a wide abscess (55×75mm) in the frontal right parietal region. A neurosurgical intervention was then performed and the culture of the drained material resulted positive for Escherichia coli. The guidelines of European and American Associations of Urology do not suggest a prophylactic antibiotic therapy for pre-ESWL (except in the presence of risk factors). The serious complication that occurred in the described low risk patient raises the question of whether routine culture and/or antibiotic prophylaxis, is appropriate.


Purpose: Postoperative chemotherapy with indefinite postponement of radiation therapy in children <4 years old with brain tumors was investigated in a multi-institutional study. Patients and Methods: From 1991 to 1995. 42 patients aged 3 to 47 months (median 20) with brain tumors were enrolled in a 2-phase chemotherapy protocol: 16 patients had medulloblastoma (MB); 8 had supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET); 14 had ependymoma; and 4 had other tumors. The initial phase was comprised of 4 courses of the 3-drug regimen: vineristine (VCR), etoposide (VP-16). and intensive cyclophosphamide (CPA) in a previously reported schedule (VFTOPEC). The continuation phase was comprised of 2-drug courses: A. CPA + VCR: B. cisplatin + VP-16; and C. carbopfatin + VP-16, for a total duration of 64 weeks. Results: Response to VETOPFC was evaluable in 28 patients with postresection residual (25) and/or metastatic (1 M2, 6 M3) tumor. There were 9 complete responses (CR) and 9 partial responses (PR) with a combined CR + PR of 64% (95% confidence interval [CI] 44 to 81). In 12 evaluable patients with MB, CR + PR was 82% (48 to 98); in 6 patients with PNET. 50% (12 to 88); and, in 8 patients with ependymoma. 86% (42 to 99). Of 40 patients eligible for further analysis, 6 remain progressionfree at a median of 30 months, 14 are alive at a median of 38 months. 29 have progressed at a median of 7 months (range. 2 to 37 months), and 26 have died. The progression-free and overall survival rates at 36 months are estimated to be 11% (95% CI 1 to 22) and 34% (18 to 50). respectively. Conclusions: The initial response to the VETOPEC regimen is encouraging and warrants study of further dose escalation. Survival remains poor with current strategies in this high-risk population.


Harbor seal numbers and population trajectories differ by location in central California. Within San Francisco Bay (SFB) counts have been relatively stable since the 1972 Marine Mammal Protection Act, but in coastal areas like Tomales Bay (TB), counts increased before stabilizing in the 1990s. Emigration, poor survival, and environmental effects have been hypothesized as contributors to differences between trajectories; however, basic demographic data were not available to evaluate these hypotheses. We monitored 32 radio-tagged adult females (SFB n = 17, TB n = 15) for 20 mo (2011–2013), and estimated survival, resight, and movement probabilities using mark-resight analyses and multistate mark-resight models. Annual survival probability for both sites was 0.90 (95% CI = 0.18–0.99). Six seals were observed moving between locations resulting in an estimated probability of 0.042 (95% CI = 0.023–0.076) per month equal movement between sites. Resight probability was less in SFB relative to TB, likely due to differential haul-out access, area surveyed, visibility, and resight effort. Because of wide confidence intervals and low precision of these first estimates of adult female harbor seal survival in California, this demographic must be further examined to dismiss its contribution to differing population trajectories. Using aerial survey data, we estimated 950 harbor seals in SFB (95% CI = 715–1,184) confirming numbers are still stable.


Resistance training results in muscle hypertrophy and improves glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes. Whether resistance training modulates inflammation in muscles of diabetic patients remains unknown. We examined the expression of genes encoding the cytokines, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-lβ) and transforming growth factor-β, (TGF-β,) as well as the pan-leukocyte marker CD18. Thirty men and women (67 ± 7 years) were randomized to either 16 weeks of resistance training and usual diabetes care (EX) or to usual diabetes care only (CON). Muscle biopsies were obtained from the vastus lateralis muscle prior to the 16-week intervention, and 72 h following the maximal strength test post-intervention. Fiber cross-sectional area (CSA) was determined following ATPase staining. Cytokine and CD18 transcript levels were assessed by real-time PCR. Resistance training increased CSA of type I and II fibers (both P < 0.05) and IL-1β transcript levels (P = 0.05). TNF-α (P < 0.05) and TGF-β1 transcripts (P < 0.05) increased over time in the EX group, but these increases did not differ from those in the CON group. In both groups, the increase in CD18 transcripts remained minimal. The two groups differ by the relationship between changes in CD18 and changes in cytokine transcripts, suggesting that resistance training affects the source of cytokines in muscle. Our studies establish that resistance training in older adults with type 2 diabetes results in muscle fiber hypertrophy, despite a greater accumulation of inflammatory cytokine transcripts in muscle.


To investigate the clinical usefulness of coronary arteriography using a gadolinium contrast medium (hereinafter referred to as Gd contrast medium) in patients with iodine allergy, images obtained using an iodinated contrast medium and a Gd contrast medium were compared using respective phantoms. Within the range of the effective energy (34.8 to 41.0 keV) in clinical use, the tube-voltage dependency of the Gd contrast medium was lower than that of the iodinated contrast medium. The contrast ratios were found to be comparable for the images obtained by a 4-fold-diluted iodinated contrast medium and the undiluted Gd contrast medium. Although the assessment of stenotic ratio was difficult to obtain by visual evaluation of the clinical images, due to unclear borders of the blood vessels, the presence or absence of significant stenosis was discriminative by arteriography using the Gd contrast medium. Based on these findings, it was considered necessary to make a confirmed diagnosis using a Gd contrast medium with concurrent diagnosis by intravascular echography. In conclusion, coronary arteriography and PCI using a Gd contrast medium are considered to offer benefit to the diagnosis and treatment of patients with iodine allergy.


Handwritten digit and letter recognition is one of the oldest and a very important topic in the field of pattern recognition. Handwritten digit and letter recognition poses different problem because of different writing styles, similarity in structure and angle of orientation. Therefore it is very important to find effective method for recognition and classification of digit and letter. Handwritten digit and letter recognition has various applications such as number plate recognition, extracting business card information, bank check processing, postal address processing, passport processing, signature processing etc. This paper propose a method of handwritten digit and letter recognition using feature extraction based on hybrid Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT) and Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT). These extracted features are passed to K-Nearest Neighbour (KNN) and Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifiers for classification. Standard MNIST and EMNIST letter dataset are used for this experiment. Firstly MNIST digit and EMNSIT letter dataset are binarized and later stray pixels are removed. Features are extracted using hybrid Discrete Wavelet Transform and Discrete Cosine Transform. KNN and SVM classifiers are used for classification purpose. The proposed method was able to obtain a highest accuracy of 97.74% for digit and 89.51% for letter using SVM classifier.


To the Editor:-I very much enjoyed the comprehensive review by Drs. Katzman and Jackson on advances in Alzheimer's disease.' 1 was, however, disappointed with their treatment of the question as to whether neuroimaging was required for the diagnosis of all patients with dementia. Dr. Katzman has eloquently presented his side of the argument elsewhere,' and to their credit, Katzman and Jackson did point out that "some geriatricians have argued that a very typical case of AD may be diagnosed without the use of scans." Unfortunately, they do not reference this statement and so the interested reader cannot easily be directed to the appropriate literature dealing with this point of view. I and a colleague3 and others (hardly only "some geriatrician~")~, have argued that, as for all laboratory tests, there are specific conditions suggesting referral for neuroimaging. These include: (1) age < 60 years, (2) the use of anticoagulants and/or history of bleeding disorders, (3) recent head trauma, (4) previous history of carcinoma (from sites that metastasize to brain-eg lung, breast), (5) unexplained neurological symptoms (eg new onset headaches, seizures), (6) rapid unexplained decline (eg over 1-2 months) in cognition and/or function status, (7) "short" duration of dementia (<2 years), (8) history of urinary incontinence and gait disorder early in the course of dementia, suggestive of NPH, (9) localizing physical signs, (1 0) ataxia. As has been pointed out; there are dangers to scanning all patients, not to speak of the costs involved. Whatever one's position on this particular question, we believe that it is important for both sides of the issue to be exposed. Otherwise, we are dealing in a world of caveat lector.


. This study aims to investigate the behavioral characteristics of the LWSCR (lazy-wave steel catenary riser) for a turret-moored FPSO (Floating Production Storage Offloading) by using fully-coupled hull-mooring-riser dynamic simulation program in time domain. In particular, the effects of initial geometric profile on the global performance and structural behavior are investigated in depth to have an insight for optimal design. In this regard, a systematic parametric study with varying the initial curvature of sag and arch bend and initial position of touch down point (TDP) is conducted for 100-yr wind-wave-current (WWC) hurricane condition. The FPSO motions, riser dynamics, constituent structural stress results, accumulated fatigue damage of the LWSCR are presented and analyzed to draw a general trend of the relationship between the LWSCR geometric parameters and the resulting dynamic/structural performance. According to this study, the initial curvature of the sag and arch bend plays an important role in absorbing transferred platform motions, while the position of TDP mainly affects the change of static-stress level.


Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome–related coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has affected millions of people globally. Clinically, it presents with mild flu-like symptoms in most cases but can cause respiratory failure in high risk population. With the aim of unearthing newer treatments, scientists all over the globe are striving hard to comprehend the underlying mechanisms of COVID-19. Several studies till date have indicated a dysregulated host immune response as the major cause of COVID-19 induced mortality. In this Perspective, we propose a key role of endothelium, particularly pulmonary endothelium in the pathogenesis of COVID-19. We draw parallels and divergences between COVID-19-induced respiratory distress and bacterial sepsis-induced lung injury and recommend the road ahead with respect to identification of endothelium-based biomarkers and plausible treatments for COVID-19.


ABSTRACT Purpose In this study, we tested the effectiveness of a multicomponent sports-based program aimed at promoting early intervention, help seeking, and resilience among a sample of adolescent male sport participants. Methods The Ahead of the Game program comprised four intervention components and a messaging campaign. Two components targeted mental health literacy, intentions to seek and provide help, and resilience among adolescent boys. A mental health literacy program for parents and a coach education program to assist in the support of athletes' psychological needs were also included. We evaluated the program using a nonrandomized controlled trial matching two regional communities. In total, 350 sport participants (mean, 14.53 yr) were included in an intervention group, whereas 466 (mean, 14.66 yr) received usual practice in a matched control community. One hundred and eighty parents or caregivers and eight coaches also participated in the intervention components. Between-group mean differences on the primary and secondary outcomes were analyzed using linear mixed models, adjusted for clustering at club level, participant age, and socioeconomic status. Results Significant positive group–time interactions were found for the primary outcomes of depression and anxiety literacy, intentions to seek help from formal sources, confidence to seek mental health information, and resilience. We also found a significant positive group–time interaction for the secondary outcome of well-being. There were no group–time interactions for social distance (stigma), intentions to seek help from informal sources, implicit beliefs about adversity, perceived familial support, or psychological distress. Conclusions Given the high rates of sport participation worldwide and the increasing focus on mental health in this domain, translation and dissemination of the program may be warranted after replication.


There are 13 members of the Let -7 miRNAs family which is regarded as tumor suppressor gene, locating in nine different chromosome loci. Lin28 acts as negative regulatory factor of miRNA biological recurrence. By selectively blocking the processing synthesis of the Let-7 miRNAs family, Lin28 block the inhibition effect of miRNA of proto-oncogenes and interact with RNA helicase to enhance gene translation at the same time. By not quite clear mechanism, an up-regulation of Let-7 inhibits the expression and function of Lin28. In more and more studies of human tumor, Lin28/Let-7 axsis was proved to be important significance of the tumor's occurrence and development. In this paper, we research briefly the recent progress of the molecular mechanism and related influence factors of ILin28/Let-7 axsis.


Abstract. This paper describes the experience of the 3D mapping of the Ravone torrent, which flows in the city of Bologna (Italy) for about 10 km, alternating above ground and underground segments. The work was commissioned by the Agency for the Territorial Safety and the Civil Protection of Emilia-Romagna Region, and the activities were performed by Forlì Ambiente Cooperative Company in collaboration with the DICAM Geomatics group of the University of Bologna and the UAS national training Centre of the Italian Red Cross in Bologna.The aim of the work was the complete and reliable documentation and mapping of the torrent course, fundamental for the planning and execution of maintenance operations and basis for the project of the urban redevelopment in the areas surrounding the above ground segments.The case study presents peculiar morphological characteristics that make its survey a challenging task: an elongated and repetitive geometry, a small transversal section and long underground portions. The geometric documentation required the use of different geomatic techniques performed in integration, with the aim to obtain the accurate 3D model of the whole torrent course: Terrestrial Laser Scanning, GNSS, photogrammetry by drones, classic topography by Total Station, high precision differential trigonometric levelling.In the paper all the surveying and processing phases will be accurately described, underlying all the solutions developed to face the problems related to the peculiarities of this object, and presenting the obtained final products.


PDT for the thoracic cavity provides a promising cancer treatment modality, but improvements in treatment planning, particularly in PDT dosimetry, can be made to improve uniformity of light delivery. When a cavity of arbitrary geometry is illuminated, the fluence increases due to multiple-scattered photons, referred to as the Integrating Sphere Effect (ISE). Current pleural PDT treatment protocol at the University of Pennsylvania monitors light fluence (hereafter simply fluence, measured in W/cm2) via seven isotropic detectors sutured at different locations in thoracic cavity of a patient. This protocol monitors light at discrete locations, but does not provide a measurement of fluence for the thoracic cavity as a whole. Current calculation of light fluence includes direct light only and thus does not account for the unique optical properties of each tissue type present, which in turn affects the accuracy of the calculated light distribution in the surrounding tissue and, in turn, the overall cell death and treatment efficacy. Treatment planning for pleural PDT can be improved, in part, by considering the contribution of scattered light, which is affected by the two factors of geometry and in vivo optical properties. We expanded the work by Willem Star in regards to the ISE in a spherical cavity. A series of Monte Carlo (MC) simulations were run for semi-infinite planar, spherical, and ellipsoidal geometries for a range of optical properties. The results of these simulations are compared to theory and numerical solutions for fluence in the cavity and at the cavitymedium boundary. The development via MC simulations offers a general method of calculating the required light fluence specialized to each patient, based on the treatment surface area. The scattered fluence calculation is dependent on in vivo optical properties (μa and μs') of the tissues treated. Diffuse reflectance and fluorescence spectroscopy methods are used to determine the optical properties and oxygenation (reflectance measurements) and drug concentration (fluorescence measurements) of different tissues in vivo, before and after treatment, in patients enrolled the Phase I HPPH study ongoing at the University of Pennsylvania. This work aims to provide the building blocks essential to pleural PDT treatment planning by more accurately calculating the required fluence using a model that accounts for the effects of treatment geometry and optical properties measured in vivo. Degree Type Dissertation Degree Name Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Graduate Group Physics & Astronomy First Advisor Timothy C. Zhu This dissertation is available at ScholarlyCommons: http://repository.upenn.edu/edissertations/898 Second Advisor Jarod C. Finlay


We show that silicon‐on‐insulator substrates, combined with a low index waveguide, can yield intrinsically wavelength‐selective devices for multiwavelength applications. We demonstrate a simple wavelength‐selective photodetector that resembles an asymmetric directional coupler with a polymer waveguide coupled to a silicon waveguide. Only certain wavelengths are phase‐matched between the two guides and transfer from the polymer to the silicon. Operating the device at the band edge of silicon, the coupled radiation is absorbed and generates photocurrent. The 400 μm long detector exhibits a linewidth of a few nm, limited by the uniformity of the silicon‐on‐insulator material.


The decade of the 1990's should prove to be a landmark period for the study of solar neutrino physics. Current observations show 2-3 times fewer neutrinos coming from the sun than are theoretically expected. As we enter the decade, new experiments are poised to attempt and discover whether this deficit is a problem with our understanding of how the sun works, is a hint of new neutrino properties beyond those predicted by the standard model of particle physics, or perhaps a combination of both. This paper will review the current status of the field and point out how future measurements should help solve this interesting puzzle. 11 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab.


Abstract Common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) are highly sensitive to elevated temperatures, and rising global temperatures threaten bean production. Plants at the reproductive stage are especially susceptible to heat stress due to damage to male (anthers) and female (ovary) reproductive tissues, with anthers being more sensitive to heat. Heat damage promotes early tapetal cell degradation, and in beans this was shown to cause male infertility. In this study, we focus on understanding how changes in leaf carbon export in response to elevated temperature stress contribute to heat‐induced infertility. We hypothesize that anther glucose‐6‐phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) activity plays an important role at elevated temperature and promotes thermotolerance. To test this hypothesis, we compared heat‐tolerant and susceptible common bean genotypes using a combination of phenotypic, biochemical, and physiological approaches. Our results identified changes in leaf sucrose export, anther sugar accumulation and G6PDH activity and anther H2O2 levels and antioxidant‐related enzymes between genotypes at elevated temperature. Further, anther respiration rate was found to be lower at high temperature in both bean varieties. Overall, our results support the hypothesis that enhanced male reproductive heat tolerance involves changes in the anther oxidative pentose phosphate pathway, which supplies reductants to critical H2O2 scavenging enzymes.


Motivational internalism is a view about the connection between motivation and moral judgment. The debate over internalism has long focused on establishing the nature of the connection between moral judgment and motivation. In this paper I argue that recent studies regarding personality disorders such as psychopathy and VM damage, which have been traditionally seen as providing a counter argument to internalism, indicate that motivational deficiencies in the moral sphere are linked to motivational deficiencies in other normative spheres such as prudence. This observation suggests that internalism focus of internalism should not be moral judgments simpliciter but rather the nature of the connection between motivation and the general normative sphere. If this is correct then psychopathy and VM damage should not be treated as disproving internalism, but rather as emphasizing a problem with the traditional ways it has been phrased.


Over the years timber-framed floor system designs have sometimes included some sort of granular material infill in order to reduce sound transmission between tenancies. Historically this has been in the form of some readily-available, low-cost material (e.g. ash, scoria, and sand). Recent research has been conducted into timber-framed floor toppings which contain a granular material infill in the form of a sand and sawdust mixture. The sand and sawdust mixture increases the mass of the floor, which improves the lowfrequency impact insulation performance. This sand and sawdust infill also greatly increases the vibration damping in the upper part of the floor, improving the mid to high-frequency sound insulation performance, while also making the system robust to construction defects. This paper presents results of isolated element impact insulation and flanking transmission measurements of timber-framed floors which have a sand and sawdust mixture in the floor topping.


The wetting behavior of hierarchically wrinkled surfaces has attracted great interest because of its broad application in flexible electronic, microfluidic chip, and biomedicine. However, theoretical studies concerning the relationship between the apparent contact angle and mechanical strain applied on the soft and flexible surface with a hierarchically wrinkled structure are still limited. We established a theoretical framework to describe and understand how prestrain and applied dynamic strain reversibly tune the wettability of the hierarchically wrinkled surface. More specifically, a direct relationship between the mechanical strain and contact angle was built through reversible tuning of the amplitude and the wavelength of the wrinkled structures caused by mechanical strain, which allowed for more precise adjustment of surface wettability. To verify the accuracy of the theoretical relationship between the contact angle and mechanical strain, a soft surface with a hierarchically wrinkled structure was prepared by combining wrinkled microstructures and strip ones. The results showed that the experimental contact angles were in agreement with the theoretical ones within a limited error range. This will be helpful for further investigation on the wettability of hierarchically wrinkled surfaces.


Background Children with JIA have been shown to have increased frequency of sleep fragmentation when compared to healthy peers. The relationship between this fragmentation and the underlying inflammatory process has not been established. The proteins S100A12 and myeloid-related protein 8/14 (MRP8/14) are associated with disease activity in JIA and have also been associated with sleep disordered breathing in children and adults without JIA. The associations between the S100A12 and MRP8/14 proteins and sleep fragmentation have not been evaluated in children with JIA and the contribution of inflammation to sleep disturbance is not known. Objectives To measure the associations between inflammatory S100A12 and MRP8/14 protein biomarkers and sleep fragmentation (wake after sleep onset) in 8-14 year-old children with polyarticular and extended oligoarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Methods Forty children between 8-to-14 years of age, with extended oligoarticular (n=15) and polyarticular (n=25) JIA and their parents participated in this cross-sectional, observational study. The treating rheumatologist assessed disease activity and inactive disease was measured using modified provisional ACR criteria for clinically inactive disease. Serum samples were obtained during each child's routine rheumatology clinic visit. Children completed the PedsQL™ Multidimensional Fatigue scale, daily sleep diaries, and wore actigraphy monitors for 9 consecutive days. Parents completed the Children's Sleep Habits Questionniare (CSHQ) regarding their child's sleep habits. Results Of the 40 children, 22 (55%) had inactive disease. 68% scored above the CSHQ clinical cut-off score for sleep disturbances. Average sleep duration was 7.5 hours. Mean S100A12 and MRP8/14 protein levels were not significantly different between JIA categories or between children with active versus inactive disease. After controlling for age and joint count, wake after sleep onset was a significant predictor for S100A12 but not MRP8/14 proteins. Conclusions Inadequate amounts of sleep, increased amounts of wake, and poor sleep quality were observed in our sample, regardless of whether children had active or inactive disease. Similarly, children with extended oligoarticular and polyarticular arthritis had similar levels of inflammatory proteins and sleep disruption. Additional prospective evaluation of these proteins in larger cohorts of children with more variation in disease activity is needed to better understand the associations between these biomarkers, inflammation, and sleep disturbances in JIA. Disclosure of Interest None declared


This collection, gathering over thirty articles from the Teaching Philosophy journal, describes novel ways to teach philosophical ideas. Ideas range from simple games for teaching abstract concepts to ambitious course designs featuring various media. Plato's Allegory of the Cave is the best known attempt to 'demonstrate' philosophy. In this volume, the first in the Teaching Philosophy Series, thirty modern philosophers share their classroom-proven methods in a unique text valuable to teachers on all levels. Co-published with Teaching Philosophy.


Tandem repeat elements such as the highly diverse class of satellite repeats occupy large parts of eukaryotic chromosomes. Most occur at (peri)centromeric and (sub)telomeric regions and have been implicated in chromosome organization, stabilization, and segregation1. Others are located more dispersed throughout the genome, but their functions remained largely enigmatic. Satellite repeats in euchromatic regions were hypothesized to regulate gene expression in cis by modulation of the local heterochromatin, or in trans via repeat-derived transcripts2,3. Yet, due to a lack of experimental models, gene regulatory potential of satellite repeats remains largely unexplored. Here we show that, in the vector mosquito Aedes aegypti, a satellite repeat promotes sequence-specific gene silencing via the expression of two abundant PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs). Strikingly, whereas satellite repeats and piRNA sequences generally evolve extremely fast4-6, this locus was conserved for approximately 200 million years, suggesting a central function in mosquito biology. Tandem repeat-derived piRNA production commenced shortly after egg-laying and inactivation of the most abundant of the two piRNAs in early embryos resulted in an arrest of embryonic development. Transcriptional profiling in these embryos revealed the failure to degrade maternally provided transcripts that are normally cleared during maternal-to-zygotic transition. Our results reveal a novel mechanism in which satellite repeats regulate global gene expression in trans via piRNA-mediated gene silencing, which is fundamental to embryonic development. These findings highlight the regulatory potential of this enigmatic class of repeats.


The CINEMO corpus of French emotional speech provides a richly annotated resource to help overcome the apparent lack of learning and testing speech material for complex, i.e. blended or mixed emotions. The protocol for its collection was dubbing selected emotional scenes from French movies. 51 speakers are contained and the total speech time amounts to 2 hours and 13 minutes and 4k speech chunks after segmentation. Extensive labelling was carried out in 16 categories for major and minor emotions and in 6 continuous dimensions. In this contribution we give insight into the corpus statistics focusing in particular on the topic of complex emotions, and provide benchmark recognition results obtained in exemplary large feature space evaluations. In the result the labelling oft he collected speech clearly demonstrates that a complex handling of emotion seems needed. Further, the automatic recognition experiments provide evidence that the automatic recognition of blended emotions appears to be feasible.


ABSTRACT The intracellular fate of internalized virus-receptor complexes is suspected of influencing the efficiency of virus infection. However, direct evidence of a link between infection and the fate of internalized virus has been difficult to obtain. To directly address this question, we generated human 293 cell lines stably expressing comparable cell surface levels of three different members of the somatostatin receptor family (SSTR) which have natural differences in intracellular trafficking. Utilizing a glycoprotein that recognizes SSTR, we found that distinctive receptor subtype-specific destinations correlated with observable differences in the level of infection. Infection via SSTR-2 and -3 is restricted at a point after receptor binding and endocytosis but prior to penetration into the host cytoplasm. In contrast, entry via SSTR-5 featured a slower internalization with greater dependence on cholesterol. Quantitative real-time PCR showed that virus bound to SSTR-5 was directed to an intracellular environment that allowed near-wild-type (WT) levels of penetration, possibly due to a more favorable complement of host cell proteases, whereas SSTR-2 and -3 directed virions to a degradative compartment in which cytosol penetration was less efficient. Taken together, the results support that the superior receptor capacity of SSTR-5 results from its internalization into a cellular compartment that is more favorable to the cytoplasmic penetration of viral cores and reverse transcription. They suggest that the intracellular destination of internalized complexes is an important characteristic of a virus receptor and may have exerted a selective pressure on the choice of an entry receptor during evolution of viral glycoproteins.


In this paper, security attacks in ARP are classified and logically organized/represented in a more lucid manner.ARP provides no authentication mechanism to the incoming request packets this is the reason that any client can forge an ARP message contains malicious information to poison the  ARP cache of target host. There are many possible attacks on ARP which can make the communication unsecure such as man-in-the-middle (MITM), Denial of service (DOS) and cloning attack.


The specification of high-rate wireless personal area network (HR WPAN) has been standardized by the IEEE 802.15.3 task group for communications of consumer electronics and portable communication devices and a final draft standard has been completed. The physical layer in IEEE 802.15.3 standard is designed to achieve data rates of 11-55Mbps. However, a MAC protocol in IEEE 802.15.3 standard does not specify the method to choose an appropriate data rate. In this paper, we propose a rate-adaptive medium access control (MAC) protocol for HR WPAN. The data rate for the next transmission is selected by channel prediction based on the currently received frame and informs the sender about the changed rate using a rate-adaptive acknowledgement (RA-ACK) frame. By overhearing the RA-ACK frame, a piconet controller can efficiently allocate channel times. In addition, we propose a constant physical layer frame length regardless of a data rate. In this way, the channel can be more effectively utilized by squeezing more bits into one transmission. The proposed scheme is evaluated under a time-correlated fading channel model in terms of the achieved throughput Simulation results show that this scheme achieves a much higher throughput than a non rate-adaptive MAC protocol in HR WPAN does.


For mixed-state quantum systems without degenerate transition, this paper chooses the expectation value of a mechanical quantity as a Lyapunov function, designs the control laws that guarantee the monotonic decreasing of the Lyapunov function, and mainly studies the characteristics of limit points of any system trajectory under the action of control fields. Research results show that for a fully connected system, the limit point of any trajectory is one of its equilibrium states while for an only connected system, the limit points of any trajectory is not isolated. In the latter case, this paper also gives the strict expression of the limit points via the Bloch vector framework of density operators.


Being part of a nation that was once colonized by those who call themselves as the Western Nations, it has made Indonesia the country into the vortex of a binary opposition colonial heritage. Although the occupation has ended, the stigma of being a colonized people, outsiders, the objects, the parties told, never separated. While Western nations did not invade though still holding the reins of power to his position as occupiers, self, observer, subject, and the narrator was considered superior to the East Nations. As revealed by Leela Gandhi, that the relationship between the colonizer and the colonized (former colonies) were hegemonic, so then came the domination and subordination. This inequalities relationship can be seen from the display cover of Harper's Bazaar magazine's Indonesian edition. Harper's Bazaar itself was an American magazine which circulates in 29 international editions in 45 negara. This research was done by analyzing cover of Bazaar Magazine Indonesia began in January 2013 - March 2014, and it used semiotic analysis of Roland Barthes. One result that stands out from this research was a practice that is done by Harper's Bazaar in preserving the dominance of Western Culture in Bazaar magazine cover that was published Indonesia. As mentioned by Lisa Cartwright, that through seeing something that a social relationship and meaning negotiated. Harper's Bazaar magazine cover to be the media to negotiate social relationships and the meaning of Indonesian women through the lens of Western culture. Through the visual appearance on the cover of the magazine, Bazaar tried to give a new meaning to the female figure Eastern Indonesia. Bring up what was referred to by Henry James as a New Woman, or more precisely New Eastern Women, as a figure of Eastern women today are ideal. A new meaning Indonesia tried to deprive women of their eastern cultural roots are sublime.


The growth performance and haemolymph biochemical value of the African giant land snail Archachatina marginata fed ad-libitum with pawpaw leaves and reared under different stocking densities were investigated in an eight-week experiment. Four different stocking densities of 5, 10, 15 and 20 snails per cage (0.5m x0.5mx0.2m) were used with each group replicated. The cage with 15 snails per cage recorded the best growth performance viz-a-viz-weight gain, shell length gain as well shell circumference gain, while treatment IV, stocked at 20 snails per cage recorded the least growth performance. There is a strong relationship between stocking density and the concentration of the haemolymph protein (40.9g/l, 24.5g/l, 35.5g/l and 19.1g/l for treatment I-IV respectively), glucose and lipids. However, there was no difference in the concentration of the mineral elements across the stocking densities. Keywords : A.marginata , stocking density, haemolymph, biochemical value. Tropical Veterinarian Vol. 24 (1 & 2) 2006: pp. 6-10


In this paper, a small size monopole antenna for wearable computer system application is presented. The proposed wearable antenna is designed for 2.45GHz and 5.8GHz. In both simulated and tested results, the band width of 200MHz (8%) centered at 2.45GHz and 1GHz (17%) centered at 5.8GHz are performed. Those bandwidths are large enough to meet the requirements of wearable computer system, respectively. The desired omni-directional pattern required for transmission with other wearable devices located across the body is also performed. The antenna gain is measured as about 1dBi and 4dBi for the lower and higher resonant frequency, respectively.


This technical note is concerned with the optimal linear estimation problem in the presence of multiple packet dropouts in both sensor-to-controller and controller-to-actuator channels. The considered stochastic packet dropouts are independent and Bernoulli distributed. Based on a linear packet dropout model with stochastic parameters, a linear-minimum-variance (LMV) filter is proposed using the orthogonality principle. A sufficient condition for convergence of the steady-state LMV filter under a dc controller output is also given. Simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed filter.


A spectroscopic system used for the calibration of pressure using the ruby R-line method has been designed and interfaced to a BBC model B microcomputer. The methodology of the real-time software design is detailed including flow diagrams for the three main programs employed in the system. The software includes both ambient and high-pressure data acquisition and analysis programs. Suggestions are made for the application of the software system to other experimental tasks and also to other compatible microcomputers.


The Internet of Things (IoT) makes designing a smart management system is real and easy. The concept of smart management system guarantees a person to monitor, control and manage the system without any waste. Water is a key resource and its management is a major issue. The proposed method is IOT with the fuzzy controller based system for managing tank water level in Rumaila power plant from gas (in southern Iraq).  The existing system, designed with two electric motor pumps, supplies a storage tank with untreated water from the river for later use in (reverse Osmosis) R.O. This system is manual without efficient monitoring and control system. This paper includes two implemented control systems; the classic PID and Fuzzy logic with a comparison between them. Fuzzy control is simulated first using Matlab and then developed by Sugeno-based Fuzzy algorithm within the PLC (Programmable Logic Console) environment. The connection of PLC with OPC (Object Process Control) server used by the Modbus protocol while the sensors connected directly to Kayenne platform.  Using the OPC and MQTT, the IoT system is built up to publish and subscribe the data from PLC and cloud. Node MCU- ESP8266 is used by wireless communication to link the sensors with router.


In multi-channel wireless networks, effective scheduling algorithms are indispensable for fully harvesting the benefit of multiple channels. Since scheduling decisions need to be made quickly under time-varying wireless channels and traffic dynamics, low-complexity algorithms are especially appealing. In this paper, we study the problem of scheduling in multichannel wireless local area networks. We present a new class of polling service-based channel-aware scheduling algorithms, termed Channel-Aware Scheduling with Exhaustive Service and Hamiltonian Walk (CESH). The three proposed scheduling schemes are shown to have significantly reduced computational complexity, but achieve comparable delay performance as Maximum Weight Matching scheduling, the well-known optimal scheme, under various traffic patterns via simulation studies. The proposed schemes provide practical and effective solutions to the scheduling in multi-channel wireless networks.


A range of partially modified retro (PMR) psi[NHCH(2)] peptide mimetics containing a hydrolytically stable CH(2)CH(CF(3))CO unit have been synthesized. The first kind of peptidomimetics is obtained from the highly efficient aza-Michael addition of different amines to alpha-trifluoromethyl acrylamide acceptors. Subsequent deprotection of the amino group furnishes the key common intermediate for the synthesis of other families of peptidomimetics: dipeptides, tripeptides, peptidomimetics containing a urea moiety, and structures containing two units of alpha-trifluoromethyl-beta(2)-alanine. Finally, a conformational study of several of the newly synthesized peptidomimetics, performed with the aid of X-ray analysis and NMR techniques, shows a beta-turn-like conformation for the structures both in the solid state and in solution.


Socio-Economic Geography in Russia Edited by P. Ya. Baklanov Dalnauka, Vladivostok, 2015, 310 p. ISBN 978-8044-1557-1This book represents the analytical overview of human-geographical research in Russia. It was prepared for the Regional Conference of the International Geographical Union held in August 2015 in Moscow. The book was published under the aegis of the Russian Geographical Society in order to present Russian human-geographical research topics and achievements to a non-Russian speaker.The book is divided into three parts. The first part presents main issues specific to theoretical and methodological approaches in Russian human-geographical research. During Soviet times human (and, especially, economic) geography was being subject to high ideological pressure. In the post-Soviet times lack of the dominant ideology has led to the "erosion" of theoretical base of geographical science. As the authors mention, since the beginning of the 1990s, human geography in Russia has been suffering from crisis in theory and in education. Nonetheless, Russian geographers have been trying to overcome this crisis and adapt themselves to world leading trends in geographical research. In the authors' opinion, the Russian human geography is "better adapted to the universal context of Human Geography than it was 25 years ago".Human-geographical research in Russia is grouped in 11 main scientific branches and 5 inter-disciplinary directions. The following branches enjoy a short description in the book: geography of population, urban geography, geography of natural resources, geography of industry, geography of agriculture, geography of transportation, geography of tertiary sector (services), cultural geography, political geography and geopolitics, recreational geography and geography of tourism, as well as social-economic geography of foreign countries and world geography. Regionalization, regional development, regional policy, environmental management and problems represent inter-disciplinary topics frequently met in human-geographical papers.The second part of the book deals with the development of human-geographical research in the main institutions of the two capitals, Moscow, the administrative capital, and Saint Petersburg, the cultural capital. Thus, in Moscow geographical research gravitates to two poles: Lomonosov Moscow State University and the Institute of Geography of the Russian Academy of Sciences. From each institution there are presented departments and divisions, whose main objective is human-geographical research (or education). Each presentation starts with the short history of the division, more attention is being paid to the research carried out in the last 25 years. Main contributors are mentioned. Presentations of other research and educational institutions all across the book stick to the same structure.In Saint Petersburg human-geographical research is concentrated in three universities: Saint Petersburg State University, Herzen Pedagogical University and Saint Petersburg State University of Economics. …


In order to maintain the high standards of the NASA conformal coating and staking program, this publication: prescribes NASA's requirements for assuring reliable conformal coating and staking for printed wiring boards and electronic assemblies; describes and incorporates basic considerations necessary to assure reliable conformal coating and staking; establishes the supplier's responsibility to train and certify personnel; provides for supplier documentation of the fabrication and inspection procedures to be used for NASA work, including supplier innovations and changes in technology; and provides visual workmanship standards to aid those responsible for determining quality conformance to the established requirements.


A peptidase from Japanese cedar pollen, Jc-peptidase, was clarified to preferentially hydrolyze an MCA substrate of Phe-MCA (L-phenylalanyl-4-methylcoumaryl-7-amide). This study examined substrate specificities of Jc-peptidase using oligopeptides. Jc-peptidase hydrolyzed Phe-Phe and Tyr-Phe effectively and hydrolyzed Leu-Phe, Met-Phe, and Arg-Phe moderately. Other substrates such as Ala-Phe, Asp-Phe, and Pro-Phe were not hydrolyzed with the peptidase. Results obtained with a series of aminoacyl-Phe peptides were compatible with the facts obtained for MCA substrates except for Arg-MCA. Effects of amino acid residues in the P1' position were also examined using Phe-amino acids. An N-terminal phenylalanine residue was actually released from bioactive peptides such as molluscan cardioexcitatory neuropeptide (FMRF-NH(2)). Because the activity was inhibited with Zn(2+) and EDTA, Jc-peptidase was inferred to belong to the metalloproteases. The N-terminal amino acid sequence was determined to be APIGVQLEIEENYVHMYNGF and an internal sequence to be EIFAATFNVDEETEA, but no homology with other proteins was found.


To find a new way treating the
wastewater from biogas reactors in a pig farm, vegetated floating
bed was built for observing the water-purifying capability of water spinach (Ipomoea aquatic) planted on the water surface. Experiments were carried out
to record the growth and biomass
accumulation of water spinach and its effect on purification of biogas
wastewater. The results show that the water which mixed with biogas
wastewater has been purified significantly by water spinach on the floating
bed. During its growth season within four months, the overall length of water
spinach reached 199 ± 35 cm, while
its root length reached 63 ± 28.6 cm. The average weight of individual
fresh plant is of 1285 ± 619.7 g. Meanwhile, the concentration of
total nitrogen (TN) in water under the floating bed decreased from 8.9 ± 0.062
mg·L-1 to 0.5 ± 0.011 mg·L-1;
the concentration of total phosphorus (TP) decreased from 4.4 ± 0.236 mg·L-1 to 0.92 ± 0.024 mg·L-1; the concentration of chemical
oxygen demand (COD) decreased from 87.3 ± 6.68 mg·L-1 to 0.74 ± 0.46
mg·L-1. It suggests that the water spinach removed more than 90% of
pollutants in terms of TN, TP, and COD from the water. Results show that the
vegetated floating bed technique is a
feasible way to dispose the biogas slurry.


With the developing interest of handheld gadgets like mobile phones, mixed media gadgets, individual note pads and so on., low power utilization has ended up significant configuration thought for VLSI circuits and framework. With expansion in force utilization, unwavering quality issue likewise rises and cost of bundling goes high. Power utilization in VLSI circuit comprises of dynamic and static force utilization. Dynamic force has two parts i.e. changing force because of the charging and releasing of the heap capacitance and the short out force because of the non-zero ascent and fall time of the information waveforms. The static force of CMOS circuits is dictated by the spillage current through every transistor. In System on chip (SoC) plan, diverse parts like advanced, simple, inactive segment are created on a solitary chip and needs distinctive voltages to accomplish ideal execution. A level shifter is typically a section that proselytes computerized signals starting with one rationale standard then onto the next. Level converters are utilized to change over the rationale signal from one voltage level to other level and are the noteworthy circuit segment in VLSI frameworks. Level shifters are likewise essential circuit segment in multi voltage frameworks and have been utilized as a part of between center circuits and I/O circuit. Barrel Shifter assumes an imperative part in the information moving and information revolution. It is having application in numerous regions. The Barrel Shifter is for the most part use for the rearrangements of the information moving. The Arithmetic and the Logical Shifters can likewise be supplanted by the Barrel Shifter Because with the turn of the information it additionally give the application the information right, left moving either numerically or sensibly. In this anticipate low power CMOS level shifter and 4bit barrel shifter are to be composed by utilizing different foundry advancements and thought about, the ideal one will be proposed.


The framework for calculating "reasonable royalty" patent damages has evolved over the years to a point at which, today, it is viewed by many commentators as potentially misleading and untethered from its original purpose. We offer a proposal to modify the framework for determining reasonable patent royalties that is based on recent scholarly and judicial analyses of standards-essential patents that are subject to commitments to license on terms that are reasonable and non-discriminatory (RAND). Litigated cases have applied the traditional Georgia-Pacific factors to assess RAND royalty rates with modifications to account for the circumstances of the RAND commitment. We propose that the reasonable royalty analysis should be conducted in essentially the same manner for all patents, whether or not they are encumbered by RAND commitments. We find considerable support for our approach in the historical development of U.S. patent law prior to the advent of the Georgia-Pacific test. Our approach focuses on the technical and economic characteristics of allegedly infringed patents and their incremental value to the overall product offering.


[1] The observation procedure and relevant database of Moscow (56°N, 37°E) noctilucent cloud (NLC) systematic observations (1962–2001) are described. The long-term series of Moscow NLC data are analyzed and compared to the observations in western Europe. Statistical analysis of seasonally averaged parameters of the NLCs is carried out. Characteristic periods in interannual variability of the integral NLC brightness fluctuation are extracted. Particular attention is paid to decadal (∼10 years) periodicity in the NLC occurrence and their brightness. A distinct difference between decadal periodicity in NLC parameters and solar activity is found and its possible origin is discussed.


We present an efficient technique to reduce the switching activity in a CMOS combinational logic network based on local logic transformations. These transformations consist of adding redundant connections or gates so as to reduce the switching activity. Simple and efficient procedures, based on logic implication, for identifying the sources and targets of the redundant connections are presented. Additionally, procedures that permit the designer to trade-off power and delay after the transformations are described. Results of experiments on the MCNC benchmark circuits are given. The results indicate that significant reduction of the switching activities of a CMOS combinational circuit can be achieved with a very low area overhead and low computational cost.


ABSTRACT The Western Carpathians have recently been examined in several palaeoecological studies. However, some of their parts remain underexplored in terms of the Holocene history of mountain woodlands. We analysed an 8000-year-old peat sequence from the southern part of the Western Carpathians (the Bykovo site) for pollen, needles and stomata, and reviewed the data on the occurrence and spread of beech since the Last Glacial times in order to put results from Bykovo into the context of the whole Western Carpathians. For pre-industrial times, we reconstructed mixed beech–fir or beech–fir–spruce woodlands in zonal habitats, noble hardwood woodlands on screes, and spruce woodlands in peaty and wet habitats. A meta-analysis of available pollen data for beech revealed that a few sites in Pannonia and on the southern Carpathian fringes reached beech pollen abundances exceeding 0.5% at the very beginning of the Holocene (12–10 cal BP). Moreover, the pattern of reaching greater pollen abundance limits showed a clear south-to-north gradient starting in the Pannonian lowland. Therefore, the direction of the spread of beech based on pollen abundances and the absence of beech macrofossil evidence during the Last Glacial Maximum do not support local glacial refugia of beech directly in the Western Carpathians. The timing of local beech occurrence (empirical pollen limit of 1.4–2%) and its expansion (rational pollen limit of up to 5%) at the Bykovo site fits well this gradual spread of beech from the south. The first period of beech spread in the Bykovo area around 6250 cal BP coincides well with the period of increased precipitation between 6100 and 6800 cal BP, as reconstructed by different proxies (e.g. stable isotopes) for the Western Carpathians.


The ultrashort pulsed laser sources and reaction microscope have been extensively employed to explore the fundamental strong-field ionisation mechanisms over the last three decades. The aim of this thesis is to gain insight into the subtleties of the photoelectron dynamics influenced by the few-cycle laser pulses. In particular, it addresses the possible factors that may affect the photoelectron dynamics. However, these factors are typically ignored under the umbrella of some commonly used approximations, which include the effect of magnetic field component of the laser field and attractive Coulomb field of the parent ion on the photoelectron dynamics. These effects, collectively called relativistic nondipole effects, are known to have subtle influence on the recollision electron dynamics and may ultimately affect the important strong-field processes relying on the recolliding photoelectrons. In this thesis, we explore the relativistic nondipole effects by performing strong-field ionisation experiments on the noble gas atoms using linearly-polarised near-infrared few-cycle laser pulses. The high-resolution photoelectron momentum spectra are acquired using a reaction microscope, since these effects often manifest themselves in the transverse electron momentum distribution (TEMD).
The first study is undertaken at different intensities in the range 1014–1015 W/cm2 using Ar as the target gas to investigate the dependence of these nondipole effects on the intensity. The peak of the TEMD is found to be shifted in the direction opposite to the laser propagation (counter-intuitive) direction with increasing laser intensity. The combined effect of the magnetic field induced drift and Coulomb focusing of the parent ion accounts for this counter-intuitive peak shift of the TEMD. Owing to the importance of these effects in the strong-field ionisation processes, an ab initio fully relativistic 3D model based on the time-dependent Dirac equation (3D-TDDE) is formulated by our theoretical collaborator Igor Ivanov. The theoretical predictions agree quite well with the experimental results over the entire intensity range. Moreover, the simulations based on a Yukawa potential further support the interpretation, which suggests that the Coulomb force is responsible for the counter-intuitive peak shift, since they do not reveal any peak shift.
The second study reports on the energy-resolved relativistic nondipole effects, with the experiments performed at 1.5×1015 W/cm2 using Ar and Ne as target gases revealing unique low-energy features in the photoelectron momentum spectra. The experimental and theoretical results show energy-dependent tilting of the TEMD and spectral narrowing for the low-energy photoelectrons. The peak shift of the TEMD for the low-energy photoelectrons is found to be in the counter-intuitive direction, whereas high-energy photoelectrons always exhibit a positive peak shift. To get an intuitive picture of the underlying physical mechanisms, a modified three step model is proposed.
In short, the results of this work need to be taken into account for the most commonly used laser parameters to explain the processes relying on recollision. Also, the theoretical model based on 3D-TDDE is essential to describe the strong-field ionisation processes at the truly relativistic intensities i.e. > 1018 W/cm2.


The problem of automatic loop parallelization has received a lot of attention in the area of parallelizing compilers. Automatic loop parallelization can be achieved by several algorithms. In this paper we address the problem of time optimal parallelization of loops with conditional jumps. We prove that even for machines with unlimited resources there are simple loops for which no semantically and algorithmically equivalent time optimal program exists.


Eolian action does not produce quartz particles between 20 and 50 microns in mass, either by abrasion of larger grains or by spalling of chips in that size range. Aqueous spalling is insignificant compared to disintegration of phyllite or similar material and of coarser crystalline rocks. Glacial action is particularly important.


Context. Chromospheric heating produces UV emissions that can only occur in an enhanced electron temperature medium. In the quiet Sun the radiative losses are orders of magnitude larger than those in the much hotter corona. Chromospheric heating mechanisms considered previously (e.g. shock waves and nanoflares) have failed to account for the observed persistency and uniformity of UV lines and continua. Also, resistive magnetic free-energy dissipation is not efficient enough in the highly electrically conductive solar atmosphere. Aims. In this paper we consider plasma effects in the low chromosphere and propose that the Farley-Buneman (hereafter FB) plasma-instability mechanism provides the mechanism for dissipating the energy of convectively driven motions of neutral atoms into chromospheric heating in the Sun and other cool stars that have a partially ionized chromosphere. Methods. Analysis of the ion acoustic sound speed and consideration of recent measurements of magnetic field in the quiet, internetwork, solar low chromosphere are carried out in the context of understanding the characteristics and onset of chromospheric heating. The FB instability is triggered by the cross-field motion of the partially ionized gas at velocities in excess of the ion acoustic velocity. The ions acquire their cross-field velocities through collisions with the much denser chromospheric neutral atoms. Estimates of cross-field velocities are obtained from consideration of both spectral line widths and convection numerical simulations that indicate values from a few to several km s -1 at the top of the practically radiative-equilibrium low chromosphere. Results. The FB instability is triggered by the cross-field motion of the neutral component of the partially ionized gas at velocities in excess of the ion acoustic velocity. This instability occurs in the solar chromosphere because electrons become strongly magnetized just above the photosphere, while heavy ions and protons remain unmagnetized, and only at the very top of the chromosphere do they become magnetized. Conclusions. We find that convective overshoot motions are drivers of the FB instability and provide enough energy to account for the upper chromospheric radiative losses in the quiet-Sun internetwork and network lanes.


Restructuring in power systems has resulted in the development of microgrids (MGs) as entities that could be operated in grid-connected or islanded modes while managing the operation of their systems. On the other hand, privatization and integration of independently operated distributed resources in energy systems have caused the introduction of multi-agent structures. In this regard, new operational management methodologies should be employed by the MG operator (MGO) to efficiently operate the system while addressing the distributed nature of multi-agent structures. Accordingly, this paper aims to provide a new algorithm to operate an islanded multi-agent MG utilizing the peer-to-peer (P2P) management concept, which copes with the distributed nature of the system. Consequently, each agent would independently schedule its respective local resources while participating in the hourly P2P market scheme. Moreover, MGO manages the power transactions among the agents. Furthermore, different types of power generation resources are modeled in the proposed optimization scheme while scenario-based stochastic optimization, as well as the condition-value-at-risk index, are deployed to address the uncertainty and the operational risk associated with the operational optimization of renewable energy resources. Finally, the developed framework is implemented on a 10-bus-MG test system to investigate its effectiveness in the management of the system and also on a 33-bus-MG test system to study its scalability.


The Cooper instability in an interacting Fermi gas is examined by using the perturbational diagram approach. A graphical derivative method based on Ward's identity is introduced to represent the contributions to the interparticle interactions from different channels. It is shown that pairing instability for the electrons excited from the Fermi sea may happen as a result of the presence of holes even when the original interaction is repulsive. Thus, in contrast to the Cooper instability caused by a given attractive interaction, the pairing instability can be induced by the particle - hole excitations. The application of the results to a layered two-dimensional Fermi gas is considered.


The adaptations of myocardial metabolism to diving asphyxia have been studied in 12 harbor seals (Phoca vitulina). Unanesthetized animals were submerged for periods of 10-16 min. Heart rate decreased from 135 to 12 beats/min. Myocardial blood flow decreased to an average of 10% of predive values and remained constant during the dive. The progressive reduction in arterial O2 content was associated with an increase in myocardial lactate and hydrogen ion production, but no change in glucose or free fatty acid extraction occurred. After restoration of breathing a reactive myocardial hyperemia and an immediate return to myocardial uptake of lactate were observed. Despite increased glycogenolytic activity throughout the dive, coronary flow distribution was fully controlled, and no evidence of ischemic dilatation of the left ventricle or S-T segment elevation in the electrocardiogram was observed. These adaptations to diving asphyxia in the seal myocardium permit a reduction of coronary blood flow comparable to that observed in the infarcted dog myocardium and therefore have relevance for therapeutic approaches to reduction of myocardial ischemic injury in humans.


IN 1935 Stuirup, Bolton, Williams, and Carmichael reported that a painful stimulus (several pin-pricks) or a cold stimulus (small piece of ice) applied to the skin brought about a temporary vasoconstriction of the cutaneous blood-vessels. This vasomotor response could also be elicited by a deep inspiration or by a mental stimulus such as the solving of a mathematical problem or by a loud noise. It was shown that the vasoconstrictor response was dependent on the integrity of the sympathetic nervous system and was unaffected by lesions of the cerebral substance. The response had a latent period of 2-3 seconds and a duration of approximately 1 minute, and it was best demonstrated when the peripheral blood-vessels had been previously dilated by immersing an indifferent limb in water at 450 C. The present paper reports the results of experiments to determine in what degree such a vasoconstrictor response is dependent on the " conscious " appreciation of the stimulus. In addition, the opportunity was taken to study the extent to which vasomotor activity could be influenced by suggestion in the hypnotic state. Method


Introduction Complication rates of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (REYGB) vary from centre to centre, but anastomotic stricture is the commonest and is managed in the majority by endoscopic pneumatic dilatation. This study aimed to assess the endoscopic costs of REYGB surgery. Methods All patients undergoing REYGB surgery over a 29-month period were included (553) and were followed up retrospectively and prospectively for a minimum of 180 days to monitor for endoscopic procedures performed in relation to the REYGB. Results 113 patients had 147 endoscopic procedures, including 65 pneumatic dilatations, at a cost to the endoscopy department of £58 077 over a 29 month study period, with an average cost of £2003 a month or £105 per REYGB operation performed. One patient required three dilatations, two required six dilatations and the rest were dilated once, using a range of 11 mm to 16 mm balloons at the endoscopists discretion. Five patients had completely occluded anastomoses. The anastomotic stricture rate for the group was 11.39%. Three patients had acute ulceration at the anastomosis, giving a symptomatic ulcer rate of 0.7%. The delay in time from surgery to dilatation ranged from 4-5-6 days, with a mean of 94 days. 60% of anastomotic strictures occurred within 3 months, 78% within 4 months, 92% within 5 months and 95% within 6 months. Conclusion If bariatric surgery is performed locally then endoscopy departments must expect to factor in, not only the costs of dealing with actual complications, but also the cost of investigating for potential complications. The average cost to the endoscopy department per REYGB procedure performed is £105. Competing interests None declared.


The amount of particulate matter (PM) in the environment has been confirmed to be health risks on human bodies[1, 2], and therefore removing suspended particles has become the research goal of many studies. Electrostatic precipitator (ESP) is one of the high-efficiency particle collection technologies[3-7]. Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) has been an effective tool for visualizing the flow patterns in experimental fluid mechanics, and many studies adopted this technique to study flows in ESP[8-10]. However, particles charged by the electric field can cause deviation in measurement results since it does not follow the ionized air flow which can be charged differently from the tracer particles. In this study, the observation of the effects of different particle properties on flow field in a two-stage ESP is the objectives of this study. A two-stage ESP was built and four different seeding particles, aluminum oxide (Al2O3) particle, oil droplet particle, sodium chloride (NaCl) particle, and titanium dioxide (TiO2) particle, are tested in the current study. In this study, the streamwise velocity of the flows ranges from 2.36 m/s to 4.18 m/s, the voltage of the corona electrode varies from 8 kV to 12 kV with a positive polarity, and the voltage of the collector electrode is fixed at 16 kV. To investigate the 3-D flow patterns inside the channel, data at different planes were taken for comparison. The results show that by increasing charge voltage from 8 kV to 12 kV with a streamwise flow velocity the 2.36 m/s, the y-component velocity for Al2O3 particle, oil droplet particle, NaCl particle and TiO2 particle increased by 50.6%, 76.0%, 33.5% and 51.9%, respectively. Moreover, for the case of the 4.18 m/s primary flow, the y-component velocity for Al2O3 particle, oil droplet particle, NaCl particle and TiO2 particle increase by 52.7%, 59.2%, 59.4% and 65.9% after the voltages increase from 8 kV to 12 kV. PIV results for oil droplet particle shows slower y-component velocities, which can be due to the lower Archimedes number of 3.12E-06 and the mobility number that is larger than 3. On the contrary, in most of results from TiO2 particles show high y-component velocity, which is due to the highest Archimedes number of 1.15E-03 of the seeding particles tested in this study. This result shows that the particle is less affected by buoyancy effect. The PIV results of the middle plane also shows that the ycomponent of velocity from -2.6 m/s to -0.5 m/s, in contrast to -1.0 m/s to 1.0 m/s from the near wall observation plane. These results are consistent to simulation results of the electric field distribution, whichshows unequal electric field strengths between the middle and near wall regions of the test section. Only half of the cage shape distribution of the electric field can be observed, and primary flow influences the ionic wind to move to the downstream area. Based on the results, the oil droplet and TiO2 particles are more suitable for the role of tracer particles compared to aluminum oxide and sodium chloride particles.


BACKGROUND: Placement of an external ventricular drain (EVD) is a commonly performed and often lifesaving procedure. Although hemorrhage is one of the commonest complications associated with the procedure, ventricular catheter--induced vascular injury is rarely reported. OBJECTIVE: To describe 9 cases of EVD-related vascular trauma: 7 arteriovenous fistulas and 2 traumatic aneurysms. METHODS: During a 3-year period, 299 patients had EVDs placed. Eight patients (2.75%), 3 male and 5 female (mean age, 48 ± 20 years), developed vascular lesions associated with EVDs. Six patients developed arteriovenous fistulas and 2 patients developed a traumatic aneurysm. The arterial feeders of 5 superficial draining fistulas arose from the middle meningeal artery, and the arterial feeder of a deep-draining fistula originated from a lenticulostriate artery. One traumatic aneurysm arose from a distal branch of the anterior cerebral artery, and the second from a branch of the superficial temporal artery. Four of the superficial fistulas were treated with transarterial embolization. RESULTS: Two superficial fistulas and the deep-draining fistula resolved spontaneously after EVD removal. The intracranial aneurysm was embolized with Onyx18, and the superficial temporal artery aneurysm was managed conservatively. There were no hemorrhages associated with any of these vascular lesions and no complications after treatment. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that iatrogenic vascular trauma associated with EVD insertions (2.75%) may be more common than is currently appreciated. Endovascular treatment is effective and may be necessary when these lesions do not resolve spontaneously. ABBREVIATIONS: AVF, arteriovenous fistula EVD, external ventricular drain MMA, middle meningeal artery SAH, subarachnoid hemorrhage VEGF, vascular endothelial growth factor


In recent years, the objectification and control of neonatal pain has caused many discussions. Given its early and late effects, researchers' efforts are aimed at minimizing the impact of maternal and childrelated factors, with a possible effect on pain sensitivity in new-borns. Our aim is to study the influence of maternal factors (daily intake of one or more cups of coffee and bacterial vaginosis during pregnancy, birth mechanism, blood group and Rhesus factor) and child-related factors (gestational age, gender, blood group and Rhesus factor) on the severity of procedural pain, caused by puncture of the heel. The present study includes 67 infants carried to term and aged 72-84 h, born by varying birth mechanisms and with an optimal Apgar score. By video surveillance before, during and after the procedure, the pain was assessed using the Neonatal Infant Pain Scale (NIPS). The results were measured 30 s and 5 min after the heel puncture. The following statistical methods were used: Kruskal-Wallis test, X2 assay (Chisquared test), Student's t-test and Mann-Whitney's u-test, with a factor of significance of p<0.05. At the 30-s mark, there was no statistically significant difference in the severity of pain among the new-borns in the groups: pregnant women, which have consumed coffee and had bacterial vaginosis during the pregnancy. The mechanism of birth, gender and Rhesus factor of the new-born and mother did not change the severity of pain. New-borns with a larger gestational age and those from mothers with the blood group AB showed a significantly increased response to procedural pain. At the 5-min mark, none of the studied factors associated with the mother and new-born had a significant effect on the degree of pain. The influence of maternal and child related factors on the severity of procedural pain in new-borns is limited.


The sharing of data among organizations has become an increasingly common procedure in several areas like banking, electronic commerce, advertising, marketing, health, and insurance sectors. However, any organization will most likely try to keep some patterns hidden once it shares its datasets with others. This article focuses on preserving the privacy of sensitive patterns when inducing decision trees. We propose a heuristic approach that can be used to hide a certain rule which can be inferred from the derivation of a binary decision tree. This hiding method is preferred over other heuristic solutions like output perturbation or cryptographic techniques—which limit the usability of the data—since the raw data itself is readily available for public use. This method can be used to hide decision tree rules with a minimum impact on all other rules derived.


We present an approach for formal verification of the DC and low frequency behavior of synthesized analog designs containing linear components and components whose behavior can be represented by piecewise linear models. A formal model of the structural description of a synthesized design is extracted from the sized component netlist produced by the synthesis tool, in terms of characteristic behavior of the components and various voltage and current laws. For the implementation to be correct, it must imply a formal model extracted from a user given behavior specification. Circuit implementation and expected behavior are both modeled in the PVS higher-order logic proof checker as linear functions and the PVS decision procedures are used to prove the implication.


A challenge in using wood or wood composites for exterior applications is durability. Borate-treated wood substrates are durable if leaching of the chemical over time can be reduced to acceptable levels. The goal of this project was to encapsulate borate-treated structural wood and wood-based composites with thermoplastic to extend their durability. In this study, the efficacy of two tie-layers (maleic anhydride modified high-density polyethylene and styrene-butadiene polymer) in bonding high-density polyethylene (HDPE) to treated wood substrate was examined together with determining the ideal hot-press parameters necessary to achieve a good bond. Boric oxide treated Douglas-fir and southern pine Parallam® and untreated Douglas-fir solid wood were the substrates investigated. The optimum processing parameters were 180°C platen temperature, 1035 kPa press pressure, and 300 s press time. Bond strength was determined by conducting a 90° peel test and a block-shear test. Durability of the thermoplastic barrier layer was evaluated by subjecting specimens to an accelerated aging test and reevaluating the bond strength. Maleic anhydride-modified HDPE tie-layer yielded improved bond strength that was durable, especially when bonded to a treated southern pine substrate.


The main goal is to the provide better recommendations system to TV viewers here the predictions are based on VOD streaming .and recommender systems have great achievements in the fields of VOD, (VIDEO ON DEMAND) .We have provide an effective recommended programs. Based on trending data .the rank wiil change based on time series.so that timely prediction of program popularity is of great value for content providers ,advertisers, and broadcast TV operators This information can be beneficial for operators in TV program purchasing decisions and can help advertisers formulate reasonable advertisement investment plans. Prediction models have been proposed based on video-on-demand (VOD) K spectral clustering and Kmedoids with Dynamic time warping are used for popularity prediction .and . file creation with multi grained is used for optimizing the streaming time. Cache replacement strategy is used to free up memory constraints. So it can speed up the streaming data.