PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to empower teacher candidates to integrate technology into classroom learning. The participating teacher candidates were provided with tools – iPads and software applications to enhance their ability to better meet the needs of all K-2 students. Teacher candidates had the opportunity to explore the range of pedagogical strategies the iPad facilitated through lesson planning and instructional practice. In addition, this research study found that when teacher candidates are given individualized training on the iPad, they have greater comfort with integrating it into their daily practice.Design/methodology/approachThis study employed a case study approach, using both quantitative and qualitative measures. Quantitative methods included the use of two surveys to better understand how teachers have been trained on educational technology. The qualitative analysis explored how teacher candidates utilized the iPad to better meet K-2 student learning outcomes through focus group interviews.FindingsFindings from this study suggest the need for embedded technology integration – through current graduate pedagogical coursework to better prepare K-2 teachers. Teacher candidates require time and regular practice to develop skills and understanding of how best to integrate iPad technology into their teaching. Redesigning a methodology course whereby candidates are developing a deeper understanding of pedagogy, while embedding technology into practice offers students this much needed opportunity. The findings from this study also indicate that, with appropriate training, teacher candidates have the ability to effectively integrate iPad technology into lessons which benefit student learning.Research limitations/implicationsResearchers should be asking whether teacher preparation programs are effectively training teachers for the twenty-first century classroom. This research explores this question and suggests ways to improve current programs to better prepare candidates to meet the variety of learning needs in today's classrooms. Although the study was small in scale it has broader implications for teacher education programs.Practical implicationsAddressing the diversity of students' learning needs present in today's classrooms is a common goal for all teachers. As evidenced through the findings, having the ability to access a variety of learning resources, in particular, iPads, will help teacher candidates better achieve this goal. This research demonstrated how teacher candidates used the iPad to support differentiated instruction in K-2 classrooms.Social implicationsA one size fits all approach to learning does not work and teachers need to have access to every available resource, including iPad technology, to individualize learning. Findings from this study recommend providing teacher candidates with multiple opportunities to practice utilizing the iPad as a means to adapt, modify, and differentiate instruction to meet the variety of learning needs in K-2 classrooms.Originality/valueIt is important to note that while iPad integration throughout K-2 classrooms is on the rise, there is still limited research in how this technology is actually being used by teachers. This study explored how eight teacher candidates implemented the iPad as a technology tool within K-2 inclusive classrooms.


Abstract: The neonatal head is routinely evaluated with ultrasound within hours after birth. The most common images obtained are coronal and sagittal views using the anterior fontanel as a window. Routine scanning protocols should include representative images of intracranial structures that are reproducible from one examination to another. The shape of the base of the skull can provide landmarks that can ensure reproducibility of examinations using a minimum of 11 images. The use of these landmarks makes it possible to have a consistent technique to localize anatomic structures and pathology in both planes.


OBJECTIVES
To investigate the value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in the differential diagnosis between gallbladder adenomas and gallbladder adenomas canceration.

METHODS
CEUS data from 34 patients (25 patients with gallbladder adenomas and 9 patients with gallbladder adenomas canceration) were retrospectively analyzed, including the characteristics of contrast arrival time, time to peak enhancement, enhancement extend, enhancement morphology and the intactness of gallbladder wall below the lesions.

RESULTS
On CEIS, the contrast arrival time and the time to peak enhancement were significantly shorter in patients with gallbladder adenomas than in patients with gallbladder adenomas canceration (12.63 ± 3.37 s vs. 18.11 ± 3.26 s, P < 0.001; 17.42 ± 3.69 s vs. 24.56 ± 4.36 s, P < 0.001). The time to iso-enhancement showed no significant difference between the two groups; while the time to hypo-enhancement was significantly shorter in patients with gallbladder adenomas canceration than in patients with gallbladder adenomas (55.56 ± 15.48 s vs. 84.71 ± 36.07 s, P = 0.027), and the enhancement time of the liver was significantly slower in patients with gallbladder adenomas canceration than in patients with gallbladder adenomas (22.78 ± 5.28 s vs. 16.63 ± 4.66 s, P = 0.004). Using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, the time to peak enhancement greater than 20 s had 89% sensitivity and 84% specificity for detecting patients with gallbladder adenomas canceration. The enhancement level showed no difference between the two groups. Inhomogeneous enhancement was found in 33% (3/9) gallbladder adenoma canceration and none (0/25) of gallbladder adenoma (P < 0.01). Destruction of gallbladder wall intactness was found in 66.7% (6/9) gallbladder adenoma canceration and none (0/25) of gallbladder adenoma (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION
CEUS is useful in differentiation between gallbladder adenoma and gallbladder adenoma canceration. The time to peak enhancement, the enhancement morphology and the intactness of gallbladder wall below the lesions are the diagnostic clues in differentiating diagnosis between gallbladder adenoma and gallbladder adenoma canceration.


Metacarpal fractures are common. Many metacarpal fractures without malrotation, particularly fifth metacarpal neck fractures, can be managed nonsurgically. However, intraarticular and extraarticular metacarpal fractures of the thumb are subject to tendon forces and often displace. Patients with such fractures require referral to an orthopedic surgery subspecialist for possible surgical intervention, as do patients with metacarpal fractures that have intraarticular involvement, malrotation, shortening greater than 6 mm, or excessive angulation.


Social media users continue to threaten privacy with the spread of fake news thus impacting people negatively. This study seeks not just to reveal the predominant demography of Nigerians who spread false information, but also to access how the decision to verify and share such information is made. The cluster and systematic sampling method were used to select respondents from selected geopolitical zones in Nigeria. The study revealed that adults between ages 21-35 and 36 – 50 spread misinformation on social media platforms, and those in the latter age range would not verify before sharing on Whatsapp and Facebook. It recommends that the public needs to be educated on information verification, and the government and concerned organisations need to enforce laws necessary to discourage the spread of misinformation.


Adenosine is a neuroprotective agent that modulates neurotransmission and is modulated by other neurotransmitters. Spontaneous, transient adenosine is a recently discovered mode of signaling where adenosine is released and cleared from the extracellular space quickly, in less than three seconds. Spontaneous adenosine release is regulated by adenosine A1 and A2a receptors, but regulation by other neurotransmitter receptors has not been studied. Here, we examined the effect of glutamate and GABA receptors on the concentration and frequency of spontaneous, transient adenosine release by measuring adenosine with fast-scan cyclic voltammetry in the rat caudate-putamen. The glutamate NMDA antagonist, 3-(R-2-carboxypiperazin-4-yl)-propyl-1-phosphonic acid (CPP, 6.25 mg/kg i.p.), increased the frequency of adenosine transients and the concentration of individual transients, but NMDA (agonist, 50 mg/kg, i.p.) did not change the frequency. In contrast, antagonists of other glutamate receptors had no effect on the frequency or concentration of transient adenosine release, including the AMPA antagonist NBQX (15 mg/kg i.p.) and the mGlu2/3 glutamate receptor antagonist LY 341495 (5 mg/kg i.p.). The GABAB antagonist CGP 52432 (30 mg/kg i.p.) significantly decreased the number of adenosine release events while the GABAB agonist baclofen (4 mg/kg i.p.) increased the frequency of adenosine release. The GABAA antagonist bicuculline (5 mg/kg i.p.) had no significant effects on adenosine. NMDA and GABAB likely act presynaptically, affecting the overall cell excitability for vesicular release. The ability to regulate adenosine with NMDA and GABAB receptors will help control the modulatory effects of transient adenosine release.


"No boys and no men-just us women," Aunt Martha tells her niece. And together they plan their trip to North Carolina in Aunt Martha's brand-new car. This is to be a very special outing-with no one to hurry them along, the two travelers can do exactly as they please.


While sleep loss has been shown to have detrimental effects on cognitive, physiological, and psychological processes, it has only recently been investigated as a possible causal factor of risk-taking behavior (i.e., a conscious choice to engage in dangerous behavior despite knowledge of possible loss or harm). Among the few studies that have been conducted in this field, the majority found that as individuals become sleepier, their propensity to engage in risk-taking behavior increased. The results of the current study indicated a positive relationship between increased sleep loss and two measures of specific risk-taking behavior (i.e., substance use, sexual compulsivity), but no significant relationship between sleep loss and measures of general risk-taking behavior. There was some evidence for temporal stability of the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT), though scores on the IGT were not related to scores on other measures of risk-taking, nor to measures of sleep loss. Negative mood was found to partially mediate the relationship between sleep loss and substance use, as well as the relationship between sleep loss and sexual compulsivity.


The aim of this research was to determine the stability of phenolic compounds from Opuntia oligacantha F¨ (xoconostle) by microencapsulation with a blend of biopolymers (maltodextrin and gum arabic) and agave sap (aguamiel) as a thermoprotector. The particle size distribution, morphology, stability during storage at di erent temperatures and water activity of the microcapsules were determined. The results showed significant di erences (P<0.05) among the microcapsules. Higher protection was found in the microcapsules containing aguamiel. The microcapsules had a spherical shape with an average diameter of 7.72 m. It was observed that the microcapsules containing aguamiel had a minor change in colour independent of the drying temperature and preserved the phenolic compounds for more than 1467 days at a storage temperature of 25 °C. These results suggest the application of microencapsulation with phenolic compounds from xoconostle for food products.


Granulocytes were obtained from samples of peripheral blood of five patients who had untreated chronic granulocytic leukemia, and polymorphonuclear leukocytes were isolated from peripheral blood of three normal persons. Specific and nonspecific esterases were extracted from leukocyte preparations with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide and with lysolecithin, and subjected to polyacrylamide disk electrophoresis. In samples from both patients and normal persons, electrophoretic patterns of nonspecific esterase activity using alpha-naphthyl acetate and alpha-naphthyl butyrate were similar, and the esterase bands were weakly inhibited by fluoride. Lysolecithin extracts of specific esterase showed similar electrophoretic patterns for patients and normal subjects. However in cetyltrimethylammonium bromide extracts of specific esterase, 11 bands were seen in preparations from all of the patients with chronic granulocytic leukemia. In preparations of normal polymorphonuclear leukocytes, only eight bands were visualized. The results are consistent with an interpretation that these fast-moving components of specific esterase in chronic granulocytic leukemia granulocytes are present in normal polymorphonuclear leukocytes, but in quantities too small to be visualized with the technics used. Alternatively, the apparent "additional" bands of specific esterase may reflect abnormal metabolism of malignant granulocytes in chronic granulocytic leukemia.


We perform a series of theoretical calculations and investigation for nuclei 179,181,183Au in the particle–triaxial-rotor model with variable moment of inertia. The calculated energy spectra in 179,181,183Au agree well with the experimental data globally. The obtained results indicate that the nuclei 179,181,183Au have prolate deformation and involve shape coexistence with different deformation parameters in different bands. The main configuration of bands 1, 2, 3 and 5 in these nuclei are identified as [541]1/2− (πh9/2, α = 1/2), [541]1/2− (πh9/2, α = −1/2), [530]1/2− (πf7/2) and [660]1/2+ (πi13/2), respectively.


Environments with multi-agent interactions often result a rich set of modalities of behavior between agents due to the inherent suboptimality of decision making processes when agents settle for satisfactory decisions. However, existing algorithms for solving these dynamic games are strictly unimodal and fail to capture the intricate multimodal behaviors of the agents. In this paper, we propose MMELQGames (Multimodal Maximum-Entropy Linear Quadratic Games), a novel constrained multimodal maximum entropy formulation of the Differential Dynamic Programming algorithm for solving generalized Nash equilibria. By formulating the problem as a certain dynamic game with incomplete and asymmetric information where agents are uncertain about the cost and dynamics of the game itself, the proposed method is able to reason about multiple local generalized Nash equilibria, enforce constraints with the Augmented Lagrangian framework and also perform Bayesian inference on the latent mode from past observations. We assess the efficacy of the proposed algorithm on two illustrative examples: multi-agent collision avoidance and autonomous racing. In particular, we show that only MMELQGames is able to effectively block a rear vehicle when given a speed disadvantage and the rear vehicle can overtake from multiple positions.


According to the American Thyroid Association's 2015 guidelines: "Since hyperfunctioning nodules rarely harbor malignancy, if one is found that corresponds to the nodule in question, no cytologic evaluation is necessary". These findings are based on numerous studies proving the rareness of the combination of functional autonomy and thyroid cancer, and when such casuistry is detected, the non-aggressive course of the malignant process is observed.Rare revealing of malignant nodules functional autonomy can be attributed to several fundamental bases of non-medullary thyroid carcinoma pathogenesis. According to one of the hypotheses of carcinogenesis, dedifferentiation of thyrocytes occurs initially with the loss of the possibility of the sodium-iodine symporter synthesis, and later of the thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor synthesis by the cell, which reduces the hormone production by tumor cells. In addition, hyperthyroidism has a protective feature. It reduces the level of thyroid-stimulating hormone (which causes hypertrophy, hyperplasia of thyrocytes and has an antiapoptotic effect). This protective function is used in practice for suppressive therapy in the postoperative period, which reduces the progression, recurrence and mortality from thyroid cancer. The above circumstances prove the rareness of the clinical observation described below, which deserves additional attention and subsequent discussion.


Objective To investigate the expression of Yin-Yang-1 (YY1) in esophageal carcinoma (ESCA) and its effect on glutamine metabolism in ESCA. Methods The expression and roles of YY1 in ESCA were investigated using a series of bioinformatics databases and tools. The expression of YY1 between ESCA tissues with the corresponding adjacent tissues was validated using real-time PCR, western blot, and immunohistochemical staining method. Furthermore, the effects of YY1 on ESCC cell proliferation and migration were examined. The correlation between the YY1 and glutamine metabolism was evaluated by western blot. Results YY1 gene was highly conserved in evolution and upregulated in ESCA tissues and ESCC cell lines (ECA109 and TE-1). In addition, YY1 may affect the level of immune cell infiltration and promote tumor cell immune escape. Functional enrichment analysis found that YY1 involved in many biological processes, such as cell division and glutathione and glutamine metabolism. After siRNA knockdown of YY1 in ECA109 and TE-1, the proliferation and the migration of ECA109 and TE-1 were suppressed. The glutamine consumption and glutamate production were significantly decreased. The protein expression of alanine-, serine-, cysteine-preferring transporter 2 (ASCT2), glutaminase (GLS), and glutamate dehydrogenase (GLUD1) was significantly downregulated. Conclusion YY1 is highly expressed in ESCA and may promote glutamine metabolism of ESCC cells, indicating it may be as a diagnostic biomarker for ESCA.


Inflammatory bowel disease is a group of chronic, recurrent, nonspecific inflammatory diseases of the intestine that severely affect the quality of life of patients. The pathogenesis of this disease is caused by complex and interactive neural networks composed of factors such as genetic susceptibility, external environment, immune disorders, and intestinal barrier dysfunction. It is well known that there is a strong link between environmental stressors (also known as circadian clocks) that can influence circadian changes and inflammatory bowel disease. Among them, the biological clock is involved in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease by affecting the function of the intestinal barrier. Therefore, this review is aimed at systematically summarizing the latest research progress on the role of the circadian clock in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease by affecting intestinal barrier functions (intestinal mechanical barrier, intestinal immune barrier, intestinal microecological barrier, and intestinal chemical barrier) and the potential clinical value of clock genes in the management of inflammatory bowel disease, for the application of circadian clock therapy in the management of inflammatory bowel disease and then the benefit to the majority of patients.


Pollycrystalline-Si/GaAs interfaces have been prepared by depositing hydrogenated amorphous Si (a-Si:H) onto GaAs in a silane plasma at 450°C and annealing at temperatures between 600 and 1020 dc. Rutherford backscattering, secondary ion mass spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy show that the resulting polycrystaHine-SilGaAs interface is metaBurgically stable when the Si is und.oped while significant interdiffusion occurs when 12 at. % As is added to the Si. The data are consistent with the Greiner/Gibbons theory [Appl. Phys. Lett. 44, 750 (1984)] that high concentrations of Si diffuse in GaAs in the form of Si-Si substitutional pairs via Ga and As vacancies.


The Imaging Beamline (IBL) operated by the Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht (HZG) at the newly refurbished DESY PETRA III storage ring is dedicated to radiography and tomography and provides two experimental endstations, one for micro tomography and one for nano tomography. The technical specifications aim for 3D imaging with a spatial resolution of below 100 nm. This nanometer resolution will be achieved by using different combinations of compound refractive lenses as X-ray optics. In addition, a microscopic optic for magnifying the images after the converting in visible light will be used, too. The overall setup is designed to be very flexible, which allows also the implementation of other optical elements (e.g. Fresnel zoneplates, KB mirrors) as well as the application of different magnifying techniques like cone-beam tomography or X-ray microscopy. The accessible energy range for the nano tomography is 10 – 30 keV but the beamline is designed for an energy range of 5 – 50 keV and we aim to allow the same energy range for the nano tomography in the long run.


Abstract Objective: Acute postoperative pain is experienced by the majority of hospitalized patients undergoing surgical procedures, with many reporting inadequate pain relief and/or high levels of dissatisfaction with their pain management. Patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) ensures patient involvement in acute pain control, a key component for implementing a quality management system. This narrative article overviews the clinical evidence for conventional PCA and briefly discusses new, non-invasive PCA systems, namely the sufentanil sublingual tablet system (SSTS) and the fentanyl iontophoretic transdermal system (FITS). Methods: A Medline literature search ("patient-controlled analgesia" and "acute postoperative pain") was conducted to 1 April 2017; results from the main clinical trials are discussed. Additional literature was identified from the reference lists of cited publications. Results: Moderate to low quality evidence supports opioid-based intravenous PCA as an efficacious alternative to non-patient-controlled systemic analgesia for postoperative pain. However, despite the benefits of PCA, conventional intravenous PCA is limited by system-, drug- and human-related issues. The non-invasive SSTS and FITS have demonstrated good efficacy and safety in placebo- and intravenous morphine PCA-controlled trials, and are associated with high patient/healthcare practitioner satisfaction/ease of care ratings and offer early patient mobilization. Conclusions: Evidence-based guidelines for acute postoperative pain management support the use of multimodal regimens in many situations. As effective and safe alternatives to conventional PCA, and with the added benefits of being non-invasive, easy to use and allowing early patient mobilization, the newer PCA systems may complement multimodal approaches, or potentially replace certain regimens, in hospitalized patients with acute postoperative pain.


Argues that one theme that has emerged consistently in the recent services marketing literature is the importance of frontline employees in service delivery. The internal marketing concept is based on the belief that a firm's internal market/employees can be motivated to strive for customer‐consciousness, market orientation and sales‐mindedness through the application of accepted external marketing approaches and principles. Considers in this study that these objectives could be achieved by marketing, among others, the service firm's goals, objectives and values to frontline employees. A causal model was constructed which included organizational commitment (as an intervening variable), frontline employees' own perceptions of the service quality they deliver, and the service quality their supervisors believe they deliver as endogenous latent variables. The model was empirically evaluated with data from frontline employees in the banking and insurance industries.


The author describes the complex of Dimedrol-induced morphofunctional changes in the internal organs in animal models that possesses a diagnostic potential in forensic cases of fatal poisoning with this drug. Aim . Studying and specification of the complex morphofunctional pathology of the internal organs in animal models under oral administration of toxic doses of Dimedrol, with the perspective of improving accuracy of forensic diagnosis of antihistamine poisoning with clinical data. Materials and methods . Studies were conducted on white mongrel rats of both sexes and 180–220 g weight. Poisoning was modelled with pharmacopoeial Dimedrol containing 99.9 % of the active substance. Results . Morphofunctional criteria are proposed for the differential diagnosis of antihistamine poisoning on the basis of characteristic changes in the microcirculatory bed and histological structure of the internal organs in experimental animals. Putative recommendations are formulated in the forensic diagnosis of death caused by antihistamine poisoning. Conclusion . The obtained results indicate that the general toxic effect is complemented by pronounced vascular lesions in the genesis of death in cases of antihistamine poisoning at high doses of the administered drug.


Generative Adversarial Networks (GAN) have gained a lot of popularity from their introduction in 2014 till present. Research on GAN is rapidly growing and there are many variants of the original GAN focusing on various aspects of deep learning. GAN are perceived as the most impactful direction of machine learning in the last decade. This paper focuses on the application of GAN in autonomous driving including topics such as advanced data augmentation, loss function learning, semi-supervised learning, etc. We formalize and review key applications of adversarial techniques and discuss challenges and open problems to be addressed.


Dura-Europos, a Parthian-ruled Greco-Syrian city, was captured by Rome c.AD165. It then accommodated a Roman garrison until its destruction by Sasanian siege c.AD256. Excavations of the site between the World Wars made sensational discoveries, and with renewed exploration from 1986 to 2011, Dura remains the best-explored city of the Roman East. A critical revelation was a sprawling Roman military base occupying a quarter of the city's interior. This included swathes of civilian housing converted to soldiers' accommodation and several existing sanctuaries, as well as baths, an amphitheatre, headquarters, and more temples added by the garrison. Base and garrison were clearly fundamental factors in the history of Roman Dura, but what impact did they have on the civil population? Original excavators gloomily portrayed Durenes evicted from their homes and holy places, and subjected to extortion and impoverishment by brutal soldiers, while recent commentators have envisaged military-civilian concordia, with shared prosperity and integration. Detailed examination of the evidence presents a new picture. Through the use of GPS, satellite, geophysical and archival evidence, this volume shows that the Roman military base and resident community were even bigger than previously understood, with both military and civil communities appearing much more internally complex than has been allowed until now. The result is a fascinating social dynamic which we can partly reconstruct, giving us a nuanced picture of life in a city near the eastern frontier of the Roman world.


Summary A brief description is given of the way in which the survey was carried out and the results of density measurements are discussed. The most important density contrast, so far as the deeper structure is concerned, is demonstrated to be that between the Palaeozoic and the Pre-Cambrian rocks. The manner in which the observed data were reduced is presented, and it is shown that the maximum value for the standard error of any single Bouguer anomaly is probably no greater than 0–19 mgal. A summary of the geology of the area follows, and the gravity data are interpreted in the light of this knowledge. Over the Askrigg tectonic block the isogams are considered to indicate a low density Pre-Cambrian core, and along the southern boundary of the block are roughly parallel to the North Craven Fault. The nature of the foundation, or "core", of the Northern Pennines is discussed, and it is considered unlikely that the metalliferous deposits found therein owe their origin to a granitic magma.


BACKGROUND
Termites are worldwide pests causing considerable damage to agriculture, forestry and buildings. While various approaches have been tried to eliminate termite populations, the relevant toxicants are associated with certain risks to the environment and human health.

RESULTS
In this study, to combine the merits of effective chemical control by bifenthrin and a drug photoimmobilisation technique, silk fibroin was used as a carrier to embed bifenthrin, which was then photoactively immobilised by ultraviolet treatment on the surface of wood (cellulose). The immobilised bifenthrin embedded in the photoactive silk fibroin was characterised by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), ultraviolet absorption spectroscopy (UV), fluorescence measurement and CHN analysis. The surface structures and biological activity were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA) and bioassays respectively.

CONCLUSIONS
The results indicate that the embedded and immobilised bifenthrin has been very well protected from free release and has a long-term stability allowing slow release with a high efficiency against termites at a low dose of 1.25 µg cm(-2). This study provides a novel and environmentally benign technique for termite control by photoimmobilising silk-fibroin-embedded bifenthrin on the surface of materials that are otherwise easily attacked by termites.


&NA; This worksheet was developed in response to an ever increasing number and intensity of admission and concurrent telephone reviews conducted by third and fourth‐party payors. This worksheet was developed as an aid in information gathering for subsequent telephone and other reviews. The left‐margin headings evolved from queries for information from the most demanding psychiatric nurse reviewers. When I have fully addressed all the information in my review, it is usually no problem in obtaining certification for admission or continued stay for the patient.


Using the example of an international collaboration on tuberculosis (TB) diagnostics, we mapped the key stages and stakeholders involved in translating research into global policies. In our experience, the process begins with advocacy for high-quality, policy-relevant research and appropriate funding. Following the assessment of current policy and the identification of key study areas, policy-relevant research questions need to be formulated and prioritised. It is important that a framework for translating evidence into policy at the target policymaking level, in this case global, is available to researchers. This ensures that research questions, study designs and research standards are appropriate to the type and quality of evidence required. The framework may evolve during the period of research and, as evidence requirements may change, vigilance is required. Formal and informal multi-stakeholder partnerships, as well as information sharing through extensive networking, facilitate efficient building of a broad evidence base. Coordination of activities by an international, neutral body with strong convening powers is important, as is regular interaction with policy makers. It is recognised that studies on diagnostic accuracy provide weak evidence that a new diagnostic will improve patient care when implemented to scale in routine settings. This may be one reason why there has been poor uptake of new tools by national TB control programmes despite global policy recommendations. Stronger engagement with national policy makers and donors during the research-intopolicy process may be needed to ensure that their evidence requirements are met and that global policies translate into national policies. National policies are central to translating global policies into practice.


The paper explores the question whether social benefit is always maximized when consumers are charged marginal cost prices for their environmental harmful activities. The issue is investigated in a simple model using the concepts of price elasticity of demand and consumer surplus. The subject is presented in a very simple graphic manner comparing areas of triangles and rectangles, then some more geometry, the tangent, is added and in the end some simple calculus, the first derivative of a linear function, is used. So the subject can be taught in classes with a rather low level of technical skills as well as in classes acquainted with the calculus. In the appendix a numerical example is given which can be used for classroom exercise.


Carbapenemase-producing Aeromonas species are an emerging health threat. This study aimed to determine carbapenemase-mediated resistance among Aeromonas isolates from the Akaki river, Ethiopia during the dry and wet seasons in 2019-2020. Antimicrobial susceptibility to carbapenems and cephalosporins was determined and carbapenemase production was confirmed. Of 163 isolates, the majority were human pathogens Aeromonas caviae (62), Aeromonas hydrophila (33) and Aeromonas veronii (49). These isolates were resistant to carbapenem and cephalosporin antibiotics, with the highest resistance to cefotaxime 86 (59.7%), ertapenem 71 (49.3%) and imipenem 65 (45.1%). Resistance to carbapenem antibiotics varied between species, where most A. veronii 37 (75.5%) and A. hydrophila 28 (84.8%) were resistant to imipenem and all A. caviae were sensitive. A. veronii, A. caviae and A. hydrophila resistance to meropenem was 31 (63.3%), 3 (4.8%) and 19 (57.6%), respectively. Of isolates resistant to carbapenem, 82.1% A. hydrophila and 94.4% A. veronii were carbapenemase producers. Cephalosporin resistance also varied among the different species. The highest resistance to carbapenem antibiotics was in isolates collected during the wet season (p<0.05); however, it was not consistent across all classes of antibiotics tested. The rivers in megacities could be reservoirs of carbapenemase-producing Aeromonas spp.


The MA thesis introduces the characteristics of cooperative learning and combined classes. The theoretical part discusses cooperative learning, its meaning and key principles and structure of tasks in more detail. Then combined classes are defined further. The role of the teacher and the pupil in the combined class are introduced and parallels between cooperative learning and combined classes are established. Special emphasis has been placed on combined classes of Social Studies in 4th and 5th grades and the possibility of introducing cooperative learning.
The empirical part focuses on the opinions and experiences of teachers of combined classes about cooperative learning and its use.
For the purpose of the study, a survey was created and distributed to teachers of combined classes. The questions focused on their understanding of cooperative learning, where they learned about it, what their training of it was, how often they include it and for which topics, why they do or do not include it, which cooperative methods they use most often, what are their goals in using cooperative learning, how much it is used in Social Studies, which Social Studies topics it can be used with, what are its advantages and disadvantages, and what issues occur using it. The teachers also had to answer questions about which combined classes they teach or have taught, how much knowledge they have about combined classes from their studies, and in which combined classes they use cooperative learning the most.
The results show that most of the surveyed teachers agree with the definition of cooperative learning by C. Peklaj, who states that cooperative learning is learning in small groups where work is set out in such a way that there is a positive connection between group members, using direct learning interaction to achieve a common goal. This group work maintains the responsibility of individual team members. Teachers who use cooperative learning have most often learned about it in study groups. The goals of introducing cooperative learning are to get the pupils familiar with cooperation and encourage participation of each individual pupil. Each method has its advantages and disadvantages or limitations. Cooperative learning is no exception. The teachers see the primary advantages as increased student participation, higher impact of the class, increased awareness of the responsibility of the group to attain common goals, and better cooperation and improved relationships between the pupils. The teachers also highlighted some disadvantages, which are higher workload for the teachers, increased time required for implementation, and inactivity of some pupils. Some teachers do not use cooperative learning in their classes and the most common reason for that is them not being familiar with it.
The research shows that 4th and 5th grade Social Studies teachers often use cooperative learning. It can be used in all topics. It is especially frequently used for historical topics, topics about Slovenia, its landscape and family life. Cooperative learning is used both in same-topic and different-topic combined classes.


Many models concernig the nonlinear stress-strain (S-S) relationship of FRP have been proposed. To the authors' knowledge, no interactions between normal and shear stress were assumed in most of them. However, in the previous our study shows that the interaction between normal and shear stesses exists. In this study we propose a new model considering the interactions between normal and shear stresses for the nonlinear S-S relationship of fiber composites using fabrics. This model consists of springs and friction elements which are parallelly combined for each stress axis. The friction elements represent the interaction between normal and shear stresses. Both surfaces on yield and failure criteria are assumed ellipsoidal to estimate the S-S curves and stresses as failure of composites at multi-axial stess state. Stress field is also assumed that the stress state expanded as a concentric ellpsoid from yield to failure stresses. The shape of ellipsoid was determined by the experimental results in both uniaxial tension and pure tosion loading tests. Moreover, the S-S relationship under low cyclic loading was also represented by this spring-friction model. And the calculated results by using this model well agreed with the experimental results under biaxial proportional and low cyclic loading.


To ensure safe functionality and reduce unnecessary shutdowns, a risk analysis of the main driver accelerator for the FAIR project SIS100, has been done. The analysis includes all major technical systems and was done accordingly to EN 61508. Results of the analysis and appropriate countermeasures for detection and/or mitigation of the failures are presented. Furthermore, an estimation of the accelerator's availability is given.


The kinetics of host cellular DNA stimulation by simian virus 40 (SV40) tsA58 infection was studied by flow microfluorometry and autoradiography in two types of productively infected monkey kidney cells (AGMK, secondary passage, and the TC-7 cell line). Prior to infection, the cell populations were maintained predominantly in G0-G1 hase of the cell cycle by low (0.25%) serum concentration. Infection of TC-7 or AGMK cells by wild-type SV40, viable deletion mutant dl890, or by SV40 tsA58 at 33 degrees C induced cells through S phase after which they were blocked with a 4N DNA content in the G2 phase. The infection of TC-7 cells by tsA58 at 41 degrees C, which was a nonpermissive temperature for viral DNA replication, induced a round of cell DNA synthesis in approximately 30% of the cell population. These cells proceeded through S phase but then re-entered the G1 resting state. In contrast, infection of AGMK cells by tsA58 at 41 degrees C induced DNA synthesis in approximately 50% of the cells, but this population remained blocked in the G2 phase. These results indicate that the mitogenic effect of the A gene product upon cellular DNA is more heat resistant than its regulating activity on viral DNA synthesis and that the extent of induction of cell DNA synthesis by the A gene product may be influenced by the host cell.


Methotrexate (MTX) is widely utilized in the clinical treatment of many forms of cancer. However, the drug has a short plasma half-life and causes toxic effects on normal proliferating cells. Conjugation with carriers is a possible way to alter these disadvantageous pharmacokinetics. Our aim was to synthesize dextran-MTX (D-MTX) conjugates, using carriers with molecular weights (Mw) ranging from 10 kDa to 500 kDa. Their in vitro and in vivo properties were compared with free MTX. The in vitro studies revealed that D-MTX conjugates had 4- to 10-fold lower antiproliferative effects against neoplastic cell lines compared to free MTX. There was a negative relationship between the Mw of the carrier and the antiproliferative effect of the respective conjugate. The data obtained in a mouse leukemia P388 in vivo model suggested that a lower in vitro antiproliferative effect of the conjugates does not result in diminished antileukemic activity in vivo. The toxicity of the conjugates was greater in comparison with the parent drug and tended to rise with increasing Mw. However, no superiority over free MTX in terms of an antileukemic effect was demonstrated. In particular, the D-MTX conjugate based on the dextran with Mw 10 kDa showed a comparable antileukemic effect with an even lower toxicity than that of free MTX. The data suggest that at least the toxicity of conjugates is dependent on the Mw of the carrier. This fact should be taken into account when designing new anticancer polymer-drug compounds.


Abstract Social representation theory provides a framework for studying how scientific knowledge affects common sense and communication through inquiries into everyday discourse. This qualitative study examined social representations of chronic pain from 4 sources: North American newspapers; "Chronic Illness Cat" memes from the social media web site, Pinterest; video blogs on YouTube; and from a 2014 film, Cake, and interviews and comments concerning it. Using thematic analysis, we first identified social representations found in our 4 sources and others found in 1 or 2 of them. Second, we analyzed the sources for their rhetorical intentions. Vlogs directly and memes indirectly were first-person accounts, self-authorizing statements of the truth of chronic pain, whereas newspaper articles and the film were third-person accounts of pain, the differences between these perspectives affecting what was said. We conclude that the medium shapes the message.


Introduction: Aromatase inhibitors (AI) are the mainstay therapy for postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive early breast cancer (HR+ EBC). However, their use induces alterations in bone homeostasis, increasing the risk of osteoporosis and fractures, thus impairing quality of life. Elderly women commonly have decreased bone density at the time of EBC diagnosis and AI initiation. Also, this population is usually underrepresented in clinical trials, thus causing scarcity in available data to study the AI long-term effects on bone density among seniors. Hence, we aimed to assess in a real-world setting the clinical impact of bone health management (BHM) in elderly women undertaking AI. Methods: We conducted a 3-year retrospective cohort study of women with HR+ EBC under adjuvant therapy with AI. Patients were stratified according to age: 65-74 (A group) and ≥75 (B group) years old. Statistical analysis of collected data was performed using IBM SPSS v25.0. and StataIC v5.0. Results: A total of 282 patients was included. The median age was 74 years (65-98) and 48.6% of patients enrolled (n=137) were ≥75 years. The median time under AI was 50 months (1-108). AI-associated arthralgia was higher in the elderly group (46.7% vs. 34.5%; p=0.036) that also reported a significantly higher rate of treatment suspension due to AI intolerance (5% vs. 1%; p=0.025). Baseline bone densitometry (BBD) was carried out in a sample of 65.6% of patients and revealed osteopenia or osteoporosis in 82.2% of the sampled individuals. Despite that, only 68.8% and 16.6% of them started calcium/vitamin D supplementation and bisphosphonates therapy, respectively. The incidence of fracture was higher in the B group (17.5% vs. 8.3%; p=0.020), mostly in the radium (25%) and secondary to a fall. Increasing age (p=0.01) and history of previous fracture (p=0.07) independently predicted a fracture event in group B. Adjusting for intrinsic subtype and disease staging, patients with a fracture event had lower disease free-survival (DFS) (HR 4.25 95% CI 0.9-22, p=0.08), but these results were noted only in group A. Conclusions: Our study challenges some perceptions regarding the attention given to bone health in everyday practice. The clinicians' adherence to published guidelines on BHM was overall low, with BBD being performed in only two-thirds of patients. On the positive side, a few clinical suggestions spring from our results. The higher AI intolerance among elderly women opens the opportunity for alternative therapies, such as Selective Estrogen Receptor Degraders (SERD). Fall-preventive strategies should also be implemented especially in high-risk groups such as elderly women under AI. These practice recommendations are likely to foster quality of care and reduce private and public health costs.
 Citation Format: Mafalda Miranda Baleiras, Leonor Vasconcelos de Matos, Leonor Fernandes, Maria Teresa Neves, Fátima Alves, André Ferreira, Helena Miranda, Ana Martins. Aromatase inhibitors and bone health in elderly women with early breast cancer: Real-world data [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2021 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2021 Dec 7-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P4-10-19.


Background

This study was performed to conduct a health technology assessment of intravenous compounding robots and provide the currently available best evidence for hospital decision-makers.
Methods

A comprehensive search of relevant professional health technology assessment websites and electronic databases (Embase, PubMed, The Cochrane Library, CNKI, VIP, CBM, and Wanfang Database) was conducted from inception to 11 August 2020. Two reviewers independently screened literature according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria and extracted data. The results were reported by qualitative description because of heterogeneity in the characteristics of the data in the included studies.
Results

Forty studies were included: 2 health technology assessments, 24 control studies (6 randomized controlled trials, 13 non-randomized contemporaneous controlled trials, and 6 non-randomized historical controlled trials), 12 non-controlled studies (11 single-arm studies, 1 investigation report), 1 qualitative study (in-depth interview), and 1 economics research. Effectiveness: The robots improved the production efficiency compared with usual/manual preparation; however, the intravenous preparation process requires further optimization. Additionally, robots reduced the incidence of medicine residues, preparation errors, and preparation failures. The accuracy and solution properties of intravenous admixture medicines were satisfactory, and the robots also contributed to error recognition. Safety: The robots reduced product pollution and environmental pollution, but vigilance is still required to ensure that pollution stays low. The robots also reduced the incidence of health damage to technicians. Economy: The robots reduced material costs in these studies; however, whether they can reduce labor costs remains unclear. Social suitability: Technicians had a high degree of satisfaction with the robots, but few relevant studies focused on this aspect.
Conclusion

Intravenous compounding robots have certain advantages in terms of safety, effectiveness, economy, and social adaptability. High-quality and large-sample randomized controlled trials or well-designed observational studies are still needed to evaluate such robots, especially in terms of economic and social suitability.


BACKGROUND
The small GTPases are involved in the regulation of critical cellular functions, such as transcription control, cell cycle, and organization of actin cytoskeleton. Although a number of investigations have established the significance of Rho-family GTPases in several human tumors, there is still little information available on the clinical significance of Rac1 expression in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Therefore, immunohistologic expression of Rac1 was studied in a tissue microarray of 111 Stage I-II NSCLCs and correlated with clinicopathologic parameters and clinical outcome.

MATERIAL/METHODS
For this retrospective study 111 tissue samples, obtained from anonymized patients with early operable NSCLC (stage I-II), were used to construct a tissue microarray for immunohistochemical study.

RESULTS
Rac1 showed a cytoplasmic pattern of expression in tumor cells, while normal lung components showed negative or weak cytoplasmic staining. Rac1 expression increased significantly with the advancement of the T stage (P<0.01) and the TNM stage (P<0.05). Analysis of overall survival showed that Rac1 expression was related to poor outcome (P=0.012), even in the group of stage I patients (P=0.023). Multivariate analysis showed that Rac1 overexpression was an independent marker for overall survival after adjusting for other prognostic factors (P=0.023).

CONCLUSIONS
We found a positive prognostic value of immunohistologically determined Rac1 protein expression and presents Rac1 as a potential unfavorable prognosis biomarker in patients with early operable NSCLC.


Landslide hazards have in the last 10 years become more prominent on the Mt. Elgon ecosystem in Uganda often culminating into disasters. In this study, the community was assessed on their vulnerability to landslide hazards and the efficacy of existing institutional mechanisms with a view of improving resilience and disaster risk reduction. The study area was selected based on historical information of landslide occurrence from Manafwa District Disaster Management Committee during site reconnaissance. Household interviews were conducted on 255 respondents using a pretested questionnaire to capture the community perceptions and elicit data on some vulnerability. The household interviews were enriched with Focused Group Discussions (FGDs) and Key Informant Interview guide. Also information on elements at risk to landslides in the catchment was captured and mapped out using GIS techniques and a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver. Vulnerability to landslides was determined by considering the combined results of the thirteen weighted indicators and five weighting scores. Results revealed that the communities in the study area are highly vulnerable to landslide hazards (95%). Landslide hotspots are largely found on slopes: (45%) steep slope, medium slope (30%) and low lying (23%), and this was categorized into; low, moderate and high. Within the landslide hot spots, the major elements at risk to landslides was; agricultural land (36%), houses (22%), population (20%), livestock (13%) and infrastructure (9%). There were 6 households, 19 households and 91 households within very high, high and moderate hazard zones respectively.

 Key words: Landslide vulnerability, elements at risk, hazard.


The temporal evolution of scientific data is of high relevance in many fields of application. Understanding the dynamics over time is a crucial step in understanding the underlying system. The availability of large scale parallel computers has led to a finer and finer resolution of simulation data, which makes it dicult to detect all relevant changes of the system by watching a video or a set of snapshots. In recent years, algorithms for the automatic detection of coherent temporal structures have been developed that allow for an identification of interesting areas and time steps in unsteady data. With such techniques, the user can be guided to interesting subsets of the data or a video can be automatically created that does not occlude relevant aspects of the simulation. In this paper, we give an overview over the dierent techniques, show how their combination helps to gain deeper insight and look at dierent directions for further improvement. Two CFD simulations are used to illustrate the dierent techniques. 1998 ACM Subject Classification G.3 Time series analysis, E.4 Coding and information theory


This inquiry began with some sentences in James A. Williamson's magnificent study Hawkins of Plymouth: 'In peace or war in Europe', says Williamson, 'there was no peace beyond the line. The phrase is often quoted by people who do not explain what line they mean. The Tropic of Cancer will not by itself answer the question, neither will the lines of demarcation. "Line" is in fact a misquotation which should be "lines". The "lines of amity" were verbally agreed upon by the French and Spanish negotiators of the Peace of Cateau-Cambrésis in 1559. They were to be the Tropic of Cancer and the prime meridian passing through Ferro in the Canaries. On the European side of both lines the treaty was to be binding; west and south of them it was to be disregarded. The agreement was a belated recognition of what had long been the practice.'


The present study examined whether health information is judged differently depending on pre-existing beliefs and expectations. People's initial beliefs and expectations were assessed by a questionnaire about acupuncture and a trustworthiness and preference rating task of doctors' faces. Then, newspaper headlines about novel acupuncture treatment were shown and rated for their feasibility in a normal and framed condition. The judged feasibility of the newspaper headlines correlated strongly with initial beliefs about acupuncture in the normal condition, and with initial expectations towards a doctor's face in the framed condition. Thus, as suggested by Bayes Theorem, pre-existing beliefs and expectations influence judgments of novel health information.


In the present in vitro study, we tested the chemical composition, cytotoxicity and antidiabetic activity of two distinct extracts of wild Artichoke-like vegetable, Gundelia tournefortii: methanol and hexane. GC/MS phytochemical analysis of G. tournefortii methanol and hexane extracts revealed 39 compounds reported here for the first time in G. tournefortii out of the 45 detected compounds. Only Stigmasterol was present in both extracts. The efficacy of G. tournefortii extracts in enhancing glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) translocation to the plasma membrane (PM) was tested in L6 muscle cells stably expressing myc-tagged GLUT4 (L6-GLUT4myc) using cell-ELISA test. Results obtained here indicate that methanol and hexane extracts were safe up to 250 μg/ml as measured with MTT and the LDH leakage assays. The methanol extract was the most efficient in GLUT4 translocation enhancement. It increased GLUT4 translocation at 63 μg/ml 1.5- and 2-fold relative to the control in the absence and presence of insulin, respectively. These findings indicate that G. tournefortii possesses antidiabetic activity in part by enhancing GLUT4 translocation to the PM in skeletal muscle.


In semiconductor manufacturing, according to Marcoux et al. (1999) tool deployment has been identified as a key factor driving capacity loss and lower operational efficiency. In most cases, the losses are uncovered by analysis of Cycle Time data and investigation of specific tool performance. For the photolithography sector, this feedback approach often highlights problems after they may have already past or have been fixed. This paper will discuss a feed forward model for managing deployment of a large fleet of photolithography tools. This model predicts tool loading using existing tool planning parameters, actual and forecast wafer start data and extensive turn-around-time matrices. The model provides a portable tool with immediate readout of various loading scenarios. The deployment decision process makes use of these simulations. The model output comes in the form of graphs and tables that can summarize load by tool, tool groups, resist groups, technologies, and levels at various time slices. The output identifies where tool qualifications or additional resists may be needed, and deployment adjustments for WIP balance is warranted. These changes prevent operational efficiency loss and maintain cycle time performance.


According to the United Nations, 70% of the world's population will live in cities by 2050. This growth will be reflected in the demand for better services that should be adjusted to the collective and individual needs of the population. Governments and organizations are working on defining and implementing strategies that will enable them to respond to these challenges. The main challenges are related to transport and its management, considering transportation as a core issue in the economy, sustainability, and development of the regions. In this way, the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) play a key role in the response to these scenarios, being that they are the framework where the new hardware and software tools are integrated, allowing an efficient development of transportation systems management, attending to aspects such as: traffic management, communications between vehicles and infrastructures, and security, among others. Nevertheless, the concept of ITS evolves rapidly so it is necessary to understand its evolution. To do that, the current research develops a thematic analysis of ITS in literature, evaluating the intellectual structure and its evolution using SciMAT, quantifying the main bibliometric performance indicators, and identifying the main research areas, authors, journals, and countries. To this purpose, the publications related to ITS from 1993 to 2019 available in the Web of Science (WoS) Core Collection were retrieved (7649 publications) and analyzed. Finally, one of the main results is the latest research themes map of ITS, considering its intellectual structure, evolution, and relationship. It assists in the definition and implementation of strategies, the identification of the scientific, academic, and business opportunities, and future research lines to consolidate the role of ITS in the new city models.


OBJECTIVE: to study the correlation between the number of tender points and the intensity of the perception of key aspects of the fibromyalgia syndrome (pain, fatigue, anxiety, depression, and its impact in functional capacity). MATERIAL AND METHODS: forty-one records of patients who meet the Criteria for Classification of Fibromyalgia of the American College of Rheumatology were reviewed, focusing on the following variables: perception of the intensity of pain, fatigue, quality of sleep, depression, anxiety and the tender point count. The assessment of functional capacity was done by the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ). RESULTS: There was a positive correlation between tender point count and pain intensity (p = 0.004), as well as HAQ scores (p = 0.0011). There was no correlation between tender point count and fatigue (p = 0.358), anxiety (p = 0.58), depression (p = 0.50) or physical capacity (p = 0.538). The correlation between the tender points count and pain intensity is stronger than with HAQ. CONCLUSION: there is a positive correlation between the tender point count, intensity of pain and functional capacity. The correlation between the tender point count and intensity of pain is more important than with functional capacity measured by the HAQ. There was no correlation with the other variables studied.


Substantial evidence suggests that the accumulation of β‐amyloid (Aβ)‐derived peptides, and to a lesser extent free radicals, may contribute to the aetiology and/or progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Ginkgo biloba extract (EGb 761) is a well‐defined plant extract containing two major groups of constituents, i.e. flavonoids and terpenoids. It is viewed as a polyvalent agent with a possible therapeutic use in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases of multifactorial origin, e.g. AD. We have investigated here the potential effectiveness of EGb 761 against toxicity induced by (Aβ)‐derived peptides (Aβ25−35, Aβ1−40 and Aβ1−42) on hippocampal primary cultured cells, this area being severely affected in AD. A co‐treatment with EGb 761 concentration‐dependently (10–100 μg/mL) protected hippocampal neurons against toxicity induced by Aβ fragments, with a maximal and complete protection at the highest concentration tested. Similar, albeit less potent protective effects were seen with the flavonoid fraction of the extract (CP 205), while the terpenes were ineffective. Most interestingly, EGb 761 (100 μg/mL) was even able to protect (up to 8 h) hippocampal cells from a pre‐exposure to Aβ25−35 and Aβ1−40. EGb 761 was also able to both protect and rescue hippocampal cells from toxicity induced by H2O2 (50–150 μm), a major peroxide possibly involved in mediating Aβ toxicity. Moreover, EGb 761 (10–100 μg/mL), and to a lesser extent CP 205 (10–50 μg/mL), completely blocked Aβ‐induced events, e.g. reactive oxygen species accumulation and apoptosis. These results suggest that the neuroprotective effects of EGb 761 are partly associated with its antioxidant properties and highlight its possible effectiveness in neurodegenerative diseases, e.g. AD via the inhibition of Aβ‐induced toxicity and cell death.


Project Finance addresses the need to secure large-scale, capital-intensive investments in face of expenditure restraint.  Efficiency and a more logical distribution of risk among stakeholders are major advantages.  The high amounts involved and the usually high proportion of debt—millions, in any currency—call for detailed risk analysis and risk allocation.  In Project Finance there is limited or no recourse over the sponsor's assets and so investors rely on future cash flows for profitability.  Growth prospects are therefore preferred to absolute values at any given time.  However, most investors still decide based on the Net Present Value (NPV) of an opportunity, and use risk-adjusted discount rates to cope with uncertainty.  This additional mark-up can ultimately turn down an otherwise profitable venture.  By making the continuous-time behaviour of cash flows visible, simulation models based on System Dynamics avoids these drawbacks and provides a method to assess and manage financial risks that takes growth into account.


Coarctation of the aorta with critical hypoplasia of the aortic arch is a ductus dependent malformation-complex often combined with severe intracardiac malformations with a common denominator: there is a predominance of the pulmonary circulation and a flow restriction through the ascending aorta. Coarctation of the aorta with critical hypoplasia of the aortic arch may be looked upon as a malformation bordering on hypoplastic left heart syndrome. The degree of aortic arch hypoplasia seems to mirror the severity of the intracardiac malformation. The first objective in reconstructing these hearts is to create an unobstructed flow through the aortic arch. Resection of the coarcted segment combined with carotid flap plasty is a surgical alternative which fulfils this objective. We have used the technique in premature-born and severely ill neonates where one-step total correction was considered contraindicated. Thirteen neonates were operated upon, there were no cerebral consequences referable to the carotid artery ligation and no recoarctations.


Fe–Ga alloys, containing 18, 21, and 23 at.% of Ga, were prepared in bulk form. In their as-cast state, they display a small magnetostriction, that is strongly improved after annealing at 1000 [Formula: see text]C for 24 h, and subsequent rapid cooling. Multiple characterization techniques, such as x-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, Mössbauer spectroscopy, temperature-dependent magnetization curves, hysteresis loops, magnetic force microscopy, and magnetostriction measurements, were exploited in synergy to gain a deep understanding of the structure–property relationships in the studied alloys, before and after annealing. The A2 phase, which is favored in the lower range of compositions and is promoted at the expense of the [Formula: see text] one by annealing, is responsible for characteristic dendritic and maze magnetic domains, and for the strong improvement of the magnetostriction, which almost reaches 240 ppm (transverse configuration) in the alloys with 18 at.% of Ga, after annealing.


The study compares FFS extension approach with other major participatory approaches practiced in Edo and Ondo States, Nigeria. By means of a well structured and validated questionnaire, data were collected from 145 FFS farmers who had also been exposed to other participatory approaches. Data collected were analysed using various statistical tools like means, standard deviation and analysis of variance.  The result shows that respondents perceived FFS as a better extension approach than any other extension approach. Respondents rated FFS higher than other approaches as they strongly agreed with all the statements that FFS has all the features of participatory extension (X = 4.51 to X = 4.95). On the other hand, Farming System Research was perceived by the respondents to slightly satisfy the features of participatory extension but FSR does not involve adult learning principles. Respondents did not perceive T & V and UAES to contain participatory extension approach as they disagreed with almost all the statements for the two extension approaches. The result of the analysis of variance indicates that there were significant differences among the four extension approaches (F = 3851 .513; P <0.05). A further analysis of the comparisons between the various extension approaches using Duncan Multiple Range Test shows that there was a significant difference between FFS and other extension approaches. It was concluded that FFS is more participatory and recommended among others that it be extended to all farmers. Keywords : Farmer field school, Participatory, Extension approach, comparison


Previous cytological analysis of heterochromatic rearrangements has yielded significant insight into the location and genetic organization of genes mapping to the heterochromatin of chromosomes X, Y, and 2 of Drosophila melanogaster. These studies have greatly facilitated our understanding of the genetic organization of heterochromatic genes. In contrast, the 12 essential genes known to exist within the mitotic heterochromatin of chromosome 3 have remained only imprecisely mapped. As a further step toward establishing a complete map of the heterochomatic genetic functions in Drosophila, we have characterized several rearrangements of chromosome 3 by using banding techniques at the level of mitotic chromosome. Most of the rearrangement breakpoints were located in the dull fluorescent regions h49, h51, and h58, suggesting that these regions correspond to heterochromatic hotspots for rearrangements. We were able to construct a detailed cytogenetic map of chromosome 3 heterochromatin that includes all of the known vital genes. At least 7 genes of the left arm (from l(3)80Fd to l(3)80Fj) map to segment h49-h51, while the most distal genes (from l(3)80Fa to l(3)80Fc) lie within the h47-h49 portion. The two right arm essential genes, l(3)81Fa and l(3)81Fb, are both located within the distal h58 segment. Intriguingly, a major part of chromosome 3 heterochromatin was found to be "empty," in that it did not contain either known genes or known satellite DNAs.


An ultrastructural study of leukemia cells from 8 patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia revealed several features that have not previously been emphasized: prominent dilated rough endoplasmic reticulum and two unusual configurations of endoplasmic reticulum (ER). The two membrane structures, multilaminar ER and complex stellate arrangements of ER, appeared to be morphogenetically related. The multilaminar ER was observed in every mitotic cell and less frequently in interphase cells. The stellate ER complex was observed only in interphase cells. Ultrastructural evidence is presented to support the possible evolution of the stellate ER complex from the multilaminar ER.


Nearshore coastal sand mining may adversely affect coastal development where extractions occur within the active beach-nearshore sand system. In this paper the outer limits of the beach-nearshore system are reviewed, with the inclusion of new data from Pakiri, New Zealand. These include interpretation of nearshore sedimentology, morphology, bedforms and benthic fauna, theoretical estimates of sediment movement, historic evidence of beach-nearshore morphodynamics, measurement of the seaward extent of riphcad plumes during or following storm wave conditions, and stratigraphic indications of seabed erosion and deposition. There is convergent data that for east coast Australian and New Zealand moderate to high energy beaches, including Pakiri, the maximum limit of the modern beach-nearshore sand system occurs around the 25 m isobath. Recent interpretations of the geomorphology of the Pakiri-Mangawhai sand system, within which shallow marine mining takes place, are re-examined in light of the results of this review. The conclusion that substantial onshore sediment exchange occurs between inner shelf and nearshore environments, and that the Pakiri-Mangawhai sand system is therefore open to sediment inputs, is not sustained. The results of investigations of bedforms, subtidal facies, historic morphodynamics and theoretical estimates of sediment transport thresholds, indicates that the nearshore-inner shelf boundary approximates the 25 m isobath at Pakiri. Significant sediment transport does not occur beyond this depth over the relevant time scales. A re-analysis of the beach profile records, as well as interpretation of barrier morphostratigraphy, indicates that, contrary to most previous interpretations, the Pakiri-Mangawhai coast shows no strong accretionary trend, is at best stable and possibly erosional. We hypothesize that the weak recovery of the Pakiri-Mangawhai coast following severe erosion in 1978 may be a consequence of sand mining. In the Pakiri-Mangawhai context nearshore coastal sand mining entails a high risk of adversely affecting coastal processes and landforms.


Group divisible designs are the most important class of partially balanced incomplete block (PBIB) designs. A list of new group divisible designs with r, k ⩽ 10 is provided.


An escalating pandemic caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is impacting global health. Specific treatment options for diseases caused by SARS-CoV-2 are largely lacking. Herein, we used a pseudotype virus (pv) bearing the SARS-CoV-2 S glycoprotein to screen a botanical drug library to identify an agent against SARS-CoV-2 entry. All the four hits, including angeloylgomisin O, schisandrin B, procyanidin, and oleanonic acid, were identified for effective inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 S pv entry in the micromolar range. A mechanistic study revealed that these four agents inhibit SARS-CoV-2 S pv entry by blocking S-mediated membrane fusion. Furthermore, angeloylgomisin O, schisandrin B, and oleanonic acid inhibited authentic SARS-CoV-2 with a high selective index (SI). We also showed that all the four hits could also inhibit the entry of pv of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) and newly emerged SARS-CoV-2 variants (D614G, K417N/E484K/N501Y/D614G). In drug combination studies performed in cellular antiviral assays, angeloylgomisin O and schisandrin B displayed synergistic effects in combination with remdesivir. These results indicated that angeloylgomisin O, schisandrin B, procyanidin, and oleanonic acid can inhibit SARS-CoV-2 and that they are potential therapeutic agents for COVID-19.


The synthesis of 6-nitrocouarrain-3-CO-amino acids and their corresponding methyl esters (II-XVII) and some dipeptide methyl esters (XVIII-XXVI) are described. 6-(N-Tosyl- or N-phthalylaminoacyl)aminocoumarin-3-carboxylic acid methyl esters (XXXIV-XL) and 3-(N-phthalyl- or N-tosylaminoacytyaminocoumarins (XLV-LVI) have been prepared via the carbodiimide and acid chloride methods. Hydrazinolysis of 3- or 6-(N-phthalylaminoacyl)aminocoumarin derivatives in tetraline gave the corresponding 3- and 6-(aminoacyl)aminocoumarins and the carboxylic acid hydrazides (XLI-LVIII), respectively. 3-(N-Tosyl-L-Val-L-Leu-)aminocoumarin (LIX) was synthesized via the azide method. Twenty four of various substituted 3- and 6-aminoacylcoumarin derivatives were found to possess specific antimicrobial activities towards different microorganisms.


In the current study, we fabricated lightweight and biodegradable conductive carbon black/chlorinated poly(propylene carbonate) (CB/CPPC) foams with a well-defined closed-cell structure by the combination of facile melt blending and the subsequent chemical foaming process. It was found that the foaming treatment could significantly lower the electrical percolation threshold from 2.48 vol% (solid composites) to 0.138 vol%. More interestingly, it was noted that the CB/CPPC foams exhibited a nearly-linear negative temperature coefficient (NTC) effect of resistance with increasing temperature from 25 °C to 70 °C, which was attributed to the gas expansion-induced thinning of cell walls and thereby a decreased distance between adjacent CB particles. The NTC effect of the CB/CPPC foams was more sensitive than that of most of the previously reported NTC composites. Moreover, the crosslinked CB/CPPC foams have both high sensitivity and good reproducibility of the NTC effect, which could well detect the change of temperature as shown in the demonstration experiments. The range of temperature detected by the CB/CPPC foams is from room temperature to 70 °C, which is ideal for wearable electronics and versatile temperature sensors in medical, food, and environment monitoring. The current study provides a facile route for large-scale preparation and practical application of NTC materials.


A novel triblock copolymer, PAMAM-block-PEG-block-PAMAM was synthesized and applied as a gene carrier. PAMAM dendrimer is proven to be an efficient gene carrier itself, but it is associated with certain problems such as low water solubility and considerable cytotoxicity. Therefore, we introduced PEG to engineer a nontoxic and highly transfection efficient polymeric gene carrier because PEG is known to convey water-solubility and biocompatibility to the conjugated copolymer. This copolymer could achieve self-assembly with plasmid DNA, forming compact nanosized particles with a narrow size distribution. Fulfilling our expectations, the copolymer was found to form highly water-soluble polyplexes with plasmid DNA, showed little cytotoxicity despite its poor degradability, and finally achieved high transfection efficiency comparable to PEI in 293 cells. Consequently, these data show that an approach involving the introduction of PEG to create a tree-like cationic copolymer possesses a great potential for use in gene delivery systems.


The metabolic defects of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes can result from changes in gene expression and protein functions due to genetic and environmental influences. The aim of this study was to identify abnormally expressed genes associated with insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes, and further to test whether possible defects are inherited or acquired. To achieve this, we used cDNA differential display combined with relative quantatitive RT-PCR to examine gene expression in skeletal muscle from patients with IGT and type 2 diabetes, monzygotic twin pairs discordant for type 2 diabetes, and mice of C57BL/6J and NMRI strains fed a high-fat or normal chow diet. We also used the candidate gene approach to examine muscle gene expression of GS, IRS-1, IRS-2 and Shc in relation with insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes. Using cDNA differential display we identified the abnormally expressed mitochondrial-encoded ND1 gene in human diabetic patients and the nuclear-encoded cathepsin L gene in C57BL/6J mice. Subsequent studies showed that insulin infusion increased gene expression of both ND1 and cathepsin L, and the effect was correlated with insulin-stimulated glucose uptake. Further, the effect of insulin on cathepsin L gene expression was impaired in diabetic twins but not in nondiabetic twins. There was no concordance for gene expression of ND1 and cathepsin L between monozygotic twin pairs. We also observed that insulin had a stimulatory effect on GS gene expression. Whereas this effect was normal in nondiabetic twins, it was impaired in diabetic twins, most likely due to hyperglycemia. The GS protein levels, however, were unchanged. Fat feeding resulted in impaired GS activity and insulin resistance in C57BL/6J and NMRI mice but the changes in GS activity did not involve its gene expression. In contrast to the stimulatory effect on gene expression of ND1, cathepsin L and GS, insulin downregulates IRS-1, IRS-2 and Shc gene expression in muscle. As this effect was similar in the diabetic and nondiabetic monozygotic twins as well as the control subjects, it is unlikely that it is involved in the pathogenesis of skeletal muscle insulin resistance. Conclusions: 1) Changes in mitochondrial gene expression are common in skeletal muscle from patients with type 2 diabetes; these changes most likely represent an adaptation to altered intracellular glucose flux. 2) Cathepsin L represents a novel candidate gene for type 2 diabetes, the expression of which is altered in type 2 diabetes. 3) Impaired glycogen synthesis and insulin resistance in human type 2 diabetes does not result from inherited defects in glycogen synthase gene expression in skeletal muscle. Fat feeding induces impaired glycogen synthase activity and insulin resistance in mice but this does not involve changes in glycogen synthase gene expression. 4) Insulin downregulates the expression of IRS-1, IRS-2 and Shc genes in skeletal muscle. As this effect remains intact in insulin resistant type 2 diabetes patients, it is unlikely that it can explain desensitization to insulin seen during prolonged exposure to insulin.


We develop a space-time mortar mixed finite element method for parabolic problems. The domain is decomposed into a union of subdomains discretized with non-matching spatial grids and asynchronous time steps. The method is based on a space-time variational formulation that couples mixed finite elements in space with discontinuous Galerkin in time. Continuity of flux (mass conservation) across space-time interfaces is imposed via a coarse-scale space-time mortar variable that approximates the primary variable. Uniqueness, existence, and stability, as well as a priori error estimates for the spatial and temporal errors are established. A space-time non-overlapping domain decomposition method is developed that reduces the global problem to a space-time coarse-scale mortar interface problem. Each interface iteration involves solving in parallel space-time subdomain problems. The spectral properties of the interface operator and the convergence of the interface iteration are analyzed. Numerical experiments are provided that illustrate the theoretical results and the flexibility of the method for modeling problems with features that are localized in space and time.


With the release of the draft Switkowski report 'Uranium mining, processing and nuclear energy—opportunities for Australia?' and the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Industry and Resources report 'Australia's uranium - greenhouse friendly fuel for an energy hungry world' the use of nuclear power to reduce greenhouse gas emissions has taken greater prominence in debate. In this context, Australia's large resources of uranium - the feedstock of nuclear power - will become more important. In addition, the growing gap between supply of and demand for uranium is driving world prices higher, ultimately to the advantage of Australia's uranium miners. This note examines the issues of Australia's uranium in the context of world supply and demand, shows why world prices are rising, and looks to the future of the uranium industry in the environmental debate over greenhouse gas emissions.


Italian geminate consonants have been studied as for both their phonetic characteristics and their phonological status. As for the phonetic aspects, though, few works focus on kinematic data. This study relates on both acoustic and kinematic material, as well as on perception data, in order to get evidence on the phonological status of geminate consonants. A read speech corpus was collected and analyzed both acoustically and kinematically, after being checked perceptually. The corpus is represented by utterances containing target words with bilabial and labiodental consonants, realized as singleton, geminates and within clusters, and produced at a natural speech rate and under speech rate and focalization changes. Data show that the lower lip opening gesture is similarly characterized in geminates and clusters, offering additional phonetic evidence that geminates may be given an heterosyllabic interpretation. Productions in focused contexts confirm results obtained in relation to the analysis of natural speech rate stimuli, while the increasing in speech rate shows that kinematic correlates of gemination appear to be more stable than acoustic ones, and that geminates still show characteristics similar to heterosyllabic segments, i.e. clusters.


Polarimetric radar interferometry is much more sensitive to the distribution of oriented objects in a vegetated land surface than either polarimetry or interferometry alone. This paper shows that single-baseline polarimetric interferometry can be used to estimate the heights of oriented-vegetation volumes and underlying topography, while at least two baselines are needed for randomly oriented volumes. Single-baseline, calculated vegetation-height accuracies are in the range of 2-8 m for reasonable levels of vegetation orientation in forest canopies.


Considering that the neural network increases rapidly in complexity and is greatly extended in training time due to the gradually increasing input vectors, a fusion algorithm modified by rough set is proposed to preprocess the inputs before neural network. Firstly, the input sample space is reduced to obtain the new decision table according to attribute significance in rough set. Then the reduced decision table is applied to train the BP neural network until it converges. Finally, the algorithm is used for classification in car mileage level. The classification accuracy of the testing sample is increased by 10% than the traditional BP neural network fusion algorithm. The result shows the modified fusion algorithm is feasible.


One of the earliest structural changes observed in cells in response to many extracellular factors is membrane ruffling: the formation of motile cell surface protrusions containing a meshwork of newly polymerized actin filaments. It is becoming clear that actin reorganization is an integral part of early signal transduction pathways, and that many signalling molecules interact with the actin cytoskeleton. The small GTP‐binding protein Rac is a key regulator of membrane ruffling, and proteins that can regulate Rac activity, such as Bcr, are likely to act on this signalling pathway. In addition, several previously characterized signal transducing molecules are implicated in the membrane‐ruffling response, including Ras, the adaptor protein Grb2, phosphatidyl inositol 3‐kinase, phospholipase A2 and phorbol ester‐responsive proteins. Changes in polyphosphoinositide metabolism and intracellular Ca2+ levels may also play a role. A number of actin‐binding and organizing proteins localize to membrane ruffles and are potential targets for these signal transducing molecules.


A multiple access source code (MASC) is a source code designed for the following network configuration: a pair of correlated information sequences {X/sub i/}/sub i=1//sup /spl infin// and {Y/sub i/}/sub i=1//sup /spl infin// is drawn i.i.d. according to the joint probability mass function (p.m.f.) p(x,y); the encoder for each source operates without knowledge of the other source; the decoder jointly decodes the encoded bit streams from both sources. The work of Slepian and Wolf (1973) describes all rates achievable by MASCs with arbitrarily small but non-zero error probabilities but does not address truly lossless coding or code design. We consider practical code design for lossless and near lossless MASCs. We generalize the Huffman and arithmetic code design algorithms to attain the corresponding optimal MASC codes for arbitrary p.m.f. p(x,y). Experimental results comparing the optimal achievable rate region to the Slepian-Wolf region are included.


A case of a 49-year-old male with exacerbation of eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) with heart involvement mimicking acute coronary syndrome is presented. Institution of intensive immunosupresive treatment resulted in the improvement of clinical condition and systolic left ventricular function. Coronary angiography excluded atherosclerosis as a primary cause of heart damage.


This paper contributes to the controversial literature on the relationship between environmental policies and international trade. It provides new evidence about the effect of a gap in environmental policies between trading partners on trade flow on a sample of developed and developing countries over the 1980-2010 period. The paper innovates on two aspects. First, while previous studies have used partial measures of environmental regulations (input-oriented or output-oriented indicators), an index of a country's environmental policy is computed. This index is calculated as the difference between observed pollution levels and "structural" pollution i.e. pollution predicted by determinants of environmental degradation as identified and modelled in the literature. This index is therefore a measure of "revealed" efforts made by countries aiming at downsizing environmental degradation. Second, the effect of these revealed environmental policies is assessed on bilateral trade flows in a gravity model. A particular attention is paid to similarities in environmental policies. Our results show that a gap in domestic efforts towards environmental protection between trading partners has no effect on exports. Moreover, the results do not appear to be conditional on the level of development of the countries trading nor on the characteristics of exported goods (manufactured goods and primary commodities).


AMANDA at the South Pole has been the world's largest high-en ergy neutrino telescope. It is now an integral part of the IceCube neutrino observator y presently under construction at the same location. A summary of the recent results from AMANDA is presented and a report on the first two construction seasons of the IceCube telescope is gi ven.


We extend the receiver function deconvolution methodology of Bostock (2004) to S-wave receiver functions and develop a method of source function spec- trum estimation to constrain the crustal structure across the Archean-Proterozoic Cheyenne belt suture in southeast Wyoming using data from a dense deployment of seismic stations. S-wave receiver functions are particularly useful because free- surface reverberations do not contaminated the direct Sdp arrivals, and the S-wave receiver function image is able to validate our P-wave receiver function image. P- and S-wave receiver function images and a teleseismic P-wave tomogram find a structure consistent with the imbrication of Proterozoic lower crust across the Chey- enne belt. Both P and S-wave receiver function images delineate a double Moho north of the Cheyenne belt: the Archean Moho is imaged at 41-43 km depth with a deeper velocity step at 60-62 km depth. South of the Cheyenne belt, the P-wave receiver function image finds the Proterozoic Moho dipping ∼7° northwest consistent with observed back-azimuth dependent Pms amplitudes. Given the lateral continuity with the northwest dipping Proterozoic Moho, the deeper velocity step of the double Moho is interpreted as the imbricated Proterozoic Moho. Modeling of P-wave re- ceiver function amplitudes suggests a 6:4-7:4 km=sec velocity step across the shal- lower Archean Moho and a 7:4-7:9 km=sec velocity step across the deeper imbricated Proterozoic Moho. We speculate that imbrication of the Proterozoic lower crust was contemporaneous with the 1.76 Ga uplift and deformation of the 50 km-wide Palmer Canyon block immediately north of the Cheyenne belt exposed in the Laramie Mountains.


Study Design. Prospective study. Objective. The objectives of the study was to (1) seek a relation between motor evoked potential (MEP) and corresponding cervical cord function in cervical compression myelopathy (CCM) and (2) explore a high-sensitive MEP range that can predict the intraoperative monitoring change ahead in cervical spine surgery. Summary of Background Data. There have been lots of controversies concerning the application of transcranial MEP in cervical spine surgery. Methods. We prospectively investigate 86 consecutive patients with CCM who underwent posterior laminoplasty or laminectomy from December 2012 to September 2014. The 18-point modified Japanese Orthopedic Association (mJOA) score and intraoperative MEP were used for neurological and electrophysiological assessment. Statistical correlation analysis and curve fitting were used to definite the relationship between MEP and corresponding cervical cord function. And a novel concept of high-sensitive MEP range was firstly addressed for predicting the intraoperative monitoring change ahead in CCM. Results. Our results showed that the preoperative mJOA score of lower extremity presented a significant correlation with MEP parameters in CCM, and the correlation was expressed in an exponential relationship. The monitoring change in CCM often appeared at a high-sensitive MEP range (amplitude <159 &mgr;V or latency >36.1 ms). In addition, the high-sensitive MEP ranges not only included MEP degeneration but also a larger number of MEP improvement cases. Conclusion. Intraoperative MEP may imply an exponential correlation with the corresponding cervical cord function in CCM. And we first characterize a high-sensitive MEP range which may indicate high risk for the impending monitoring change during cervical cord decompression and we must watch more closely. Level of Evidence: 4


Between 1996 and 2005, natural catastrophic events had an estimated cost of US$575.2 billion world-wide. In particular, it has been observed that developing countries are relatively more affected by such events, since its gross domestic product (GDP) have showed sharper declines than developed countries' ratios. On August 15, 2007, an earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale shook the southern part of the central coast of Peru, with devastating consequences. Given the magnitude of the damage caused, one wonders how much less the cost of rehabilitating water and sanitation systems might have been if public investment projects and management of urban utilities (companies in charge of the water and sanitation provision), had incorporated disaster risk reduction measures. For this reason, and because this is a key public sector service for the wellbeing of population, the World Bank's water and sanitation program commissioned Apoyo Consultoria S.A.C. to conduct a research on the water and sanitation sector in order to attend the following inquiry: how much unpreparedness cost to the sector providing water and sanitation services? In other words, in economic terms, what will have been the gain to society or the reconstruction savings if risk prevention measures had been included in the management of services in the sector proposed for the analysis?


Aligning the design of a system with its implementation improves product quality and simplifies product evolution. While developers are empowered with AI/ML augmented tools and techniques that increasingly assist them in implementation tasks, the abstraction gap between code and design limits automation for design tasks. In this position paper, we argue that the software engineering community can take advantage of the experiences built with AI/ML techniques to advance automation in design analysis. We summarize research challenges and describe two efforts that apply machine learning to codebases to extract design constructs and detect deviation from intended designs and to use search-based refactoring to make design improvements for extracting functionality.


The scientific legacy of Zvi Griliches' contribution to the economic analysis of the diffusion of technological innovations is the subject of this paper. It begins with an examination of the relationship between Griliches' pioneering empirical work on the introduction and adoption of hybrid corn and the subsequent development of theoretical models and econometric research on the microeconomic determinants of diffusion. Next, it formalizes the way that the dynamics of diffusion observed at the aggregate level is shaped by structural conditions at the micro-level – on both the supply and the demand sides of the market for products embodying technological innovations, both of which were addressed by Griliches (1957). It then points out the reflections of those processes in lagged behavior of aggregate investment in durable capital-embodied innovations – often regarded as an independent subject of Griliches' analytical and econometric research. The latter connection, and its link with productivity changes stemming from embodied technical change, are made explicit by the model of micro-to-macro relationships affecting the total factor productivity (TFP) growth rate that is presented in the third major section of the paper (and the Appendix). The three foregoing dynamic phenomena - diffusion, durable investment lags, and TFP growth – were the topics of Griliches' three most widely cited journal articles, respectively. The connections among them have not been generally noticed by economists, and, indeed they remained implicit in his writings until late in his career, when he emphasized the diffusion-productivity nexus as a key proximate determinant of the pace of economic growth – a perception whose importance remains insufficiently appreciated in current policy discussions that focus attention on "innovation" as the driver of intensive growth. Having directed attention to the microeconomics of technology adoption underlying the 'transitions' during which the diffusion of major innovations generate surges in innovation-embodying capital formation, and to the consequent waves in the TFP growth rate at the industry and sectoral levels, should be seen as prominent among the important and enduring contributions that Zvi Griliches made to modern economics.


We describe a visual digital twin system to allow for both operation and training of a data-driven pipeline leak detection system. We show system design in terms of its data inputs and the software system which incorporates this data in real time. This system allows visualization of pipeline data and machine learning-driven leak detection in a pipeline sitting in a subsea context. The intended purpose of the system is to both train operators of the leak detection system in its use and also provide high situational awareness to those tasked with monitoring pipeline deployments. The visual digital twin system uses gaming engine technology to achieve high visual quality. We also construct a novel software system enhancement to incorporate live data streams into the gaming engine environment. This allows real-time driving of gaming engine visualization elements with which we may augment the gaming engine environment. In terms of visualization, we focus on addressing problems of large ranges of multiple scales and providing high situational awareness which minimize operator fatigue and cognitive load. We show how multiple camera views in combination with a convenient user interface can help to address these issues. We demonstrate a digital twin system for leak detection. We show its realtime operation in a gaming engine environment with the ability to instantaneously incorporate outside data sources into the visualizations. We demonstrate using simulated pipeline flow data from sensors such as pressure, temperature, etc. This is visualized in the context of a subsea pipeline on a sea floor. Given the large range of scales, we demonstrate how we can view both the full kilometer scale pipeline and smaller subsections in the context of specific sensor data streams. The overall system demonstrates a novel combination of advanced software systems which incorporates real-time data stream with visualization using a high-fidelity gaming engine. The data used represents a leak detection scenario where both operator training and situational awareness are key desired outcomes.


In 32 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) computed tomographic angiography (CTA) was performed to evaluate its diagnostic usefulness. The contrast material was infused into both the hepatic artery and superior mesenteric artery. Computed tomography was performed during the arterial and the portal phase. According to the CTA findings, HCC could be classified into four types; 28 of 32 cases (87.5%) showed the characteristic findings of HCC. It was also apparent that CT portography was quite efficient in detecting the existence of tumor, in particular the presence of small intrahepatic metastatic lesions and tumor infiltration into the portal vein. Computed tomographic angiography performed during both the arterial and portal phase is useful in evaluating HCC prior to hepatic lobectomy or arterial embolization therapy.